Mycobacterium Tuberculosis Modulates Fibroblast Growth Factor and Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor in Ocular Tuberculosis

• Published in: Ocular immunology and inflammation Vol. 29; no. 7-8; pp. 1445 - 1451
• Main Authors: Singh, Nirbhai, Singh, Ravinder, Sharma, Ravi Kumar, Kumar, Aman, Sharma, Surya Prakash, Agarwal, Aniruddha, Gupta, Vishali, Singh, Ramandeep, Katoch, Deeksha
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Taylor & Francis 17.11.2021
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Cells, Cultured; Child; Female; FGF; Fibroblast Growth Factors - metabolism; Flow Cytometry; growth factors; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Mycobacterium tuberculosis - physiology; Ocular tuberculosis; Prospective Studies; Retinal Diseases - metabolism; Retinal Diseases - microbiology; Retinal Pigment Epithelium - microbiology; Tears - metabolism; Tuberculosis, Ocular - metabolism; Tuberculosis, Ocular - microbiology; uveitis; Uveitis - metabolism; Uveitis - microbiology; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A - metabolism; VEGF; Vitreous Body - metabolism; FGF; growth factors; uveitis; VEGF; Ocular tuberculosis
• ISSN: 0927-3948; 1744-5078
• DOI: 10.1080/09273948.2020.1734212

Purpose: To evaluate the role of angiogenic growth factors in the pathogenesis of intraocular tuberculosis. Methods: Retinal Pigment Epithelium (RPE) cells were infected with varying dilution of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB), ranging from several thousand to a few MTB bacilli to replicate paucibacillary conditions. Angiogenesis growth factors were evaluated using multiplex fluorescent bead based flow cytometry in the culture supernatant of RPE cells infected with MTB, vitreous fluids and tear samples of uveitis patients visiting retina clinic. Results: Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) levels were elevated and fibroblast growth factors (FGFs) were down regulated in RPE-infected MTB cells. Similar pattern of VEGF and FGF was observed in the vitreous of IOTB patients. However, no changes were observed in tear samples. Conclusions: MTB exploits the angiogenesis growth factors for pathogenesis by decreasing FGF with concomitant surge of VEGF in MTB infected RPE as well in the vitreous of IOTB patients.