Liu L, Yang P, He H, Lin X, Jiang L, Chi W, Zhao C, Zhou H
Zhongshan Opthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, 54 Xianlie Road, Guangzhou 510060, PR China.
Br J Ophthalmol. 2008 Apr;92(4):557-61. doi: 10.1136/bjo.2007.128769. Epub 2008 Feb 1.
BACKGROUND/AIMS: [corrected] Leptin has recently been found to play an important role in the development of autoimmune diseases. Our study is designed to investigate the expression and possible role of leptin in the pathogenesis of Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada (VKH) disease, one of the common types of autoimmune uveitis in China.
Leptin levels in serums of 20 active, 16 inactive VKH patients and 20 healthy controls were measured using ELISA. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) separated from active VKH patients and healthy controls were cultured with recombinant human leptin, and cell proliferation was assayed by [(3)H]-TdR incorporation. Cytokine levels in the supernatant of PBMCs cultured in mixed lymphocyte reaction (MLR) upon stimulation with leptin were assayed by ELISA.
Our results showed that leptin was significantly increased in the serum of active VKH patients compared with that in inactive VKH patients and healthy controls. Leptin levels in active VKH patients remained markedly higher when divided by body mass index (BMI). PBMCs cultured with leptin induced a marked cell proliferation and profound secretion of IFN-gamma and IL-17.
These findings suggest that leptin may be involved in the development of VKH disease possibly by promoting an immune response.
背景/目的：最近发现瘦素在自身免疫性疾病的发展中起重要作用。我们的研究旨在调查瘦素在中国常见的自身免疫性葡萄膜炎类型之一——伏格特-小柳-原田（VKH）病发病机制中的表达及可能作用。
采用酶联免疫吸附测定法（ELISA）检测20例活动期、16例非活动期VKH患者及20例健康对照者血清中的瘦素水平。将活动期VKH患者和健康对照者分离出的外周血单个核细胞（PBMC）与重组人瘦素共同培养，通过[³H]-胸腺嘧啶核苷掺入法检测细胞增殖情况。采用ELISA法检测在瘦素刺激下混合淋巴细胞反应（MLR）中培养的PBMC上清液中的细胞因子水平。
我们的结果显示，与非活动期VKH患者和健康对照者相比，活动期VKH患者血清中的瘦素显著升高。按体重指数（BMI）划分时，活动期VKH患者的瘦素水平仍显著较高。用瘦素培养的PBMC诱导了明显的细胞增殖以及干扰素-γ（IFN-γ）和白细胞介素-17（IL-17）的大量分泌。
这些发现表明，瘦素可能通过促进免疫反应参与VKH病的发展。
