Elevated Levels of Endoglin, Endostatin, FGF-α, HGF, and Thrombospondin-2 in Aqueous Humor of NAMD Patients

Purpose: to explore the aqueous cytokine profiles in nAMD patients before and after conbercept therapy.

Methods: aqueous levels of 17 cytokines were detected in 20 treatment-naïve nAMD eyes and 20 age- and sex-matched age-related cataract (ARC) eyes. All of the nAMD patients received three intravitreal injections of conbercept. The central macular thickness (CMT) and maximum retinal thickness-3 mm (MRT-3 mm) were measured by SD-OCT. Fundus fluorescein angiography (FA) was used to measure the greatest linear diameter (GLD).

Results: Aqueous endoglin, endostatin, FGF-α, HGF, and thrombospondin-2 levels were significantly higher in the nAMD group than those in the ARC group, whether before or after two conbercept injections. In the nAMD group, baseline thrombospondin-2 was positively correlated with GLD. Baseline FGF-α, thrombospondin-2, and VEGF-A were positively correlated with MRT-3 mm. After two conbercept injections, endostatin levels were positively correlated with VEGF-A.

Conclusions: Endoglin, endostatin, FGF-α, HGF, and thrombospondin-2 may participate in the pathogenesis of nAMD.