Expression of interleukin (IL)-10 family cytokines in aqueous humour of patients with specific endogenous uveitic entities: elevated levels of IL-19 in human leucocyte antigen-B27-associated uveitis

Purpose Evidence exists that the interleukin (IL)-10 family of cytokines is involved in autoimmune diseases. The aim of this study was to analyse the levels of the IL-10 family cytokines IL-10, IL-19, IL-20, IL-22, IL-26, IL-28A and IL-29 in aqueous humour (AH) samples from patients with specific uveitic entities. In addition, we correlated their levels with the levels of the proinflammatory cytokines tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and IL-1 beta. Methods Aqueous humour (AH) samples from patients with active uveitis associated with Behcet's disease (BD; n = 13), sarcoidosis (n = 8), human leucocyte antigen (HLA)-B27-related inflammation (n = 12), Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada (VKH) disease (n = 12) and control subjects (n = 9) were assayed with the use of a multiplex assay. Results Of all the IL-10 family cytokines studied, only IL-19 levels were significantly higher in AH samples of patients (n = 45) than in controls (p = 0.022). When comparing the four individual disease groups to controls, IL-19 levels were only significantly higher in HLA-B27-associated uveitis (p < 0.001). IL-19 levels were significantly higher in patients with HLA-B27-associated uveitis than in patients with BD, sarcoidosis and VKH disease (p < 0.001; p = 0.002; p < 0.001, respectively). Significant correlations were found between AH levels of IL-19 and AH levels of TNF-alpha, (r = 0.3; p = 0.03) and IL-1 beta (r = 0.56; p < 0.001). Conclusions Among the IL-10 family cytokines analysed, IL-19 demonstrated the highest expression in endogenous uveitis, particularly in HLA-B27-associated uveitis. IL-19 thus might assist in the regulation of inflammation in HLA-B27-associated uveitis.