Purpose.: Various immune mediators are hypothesized to have important roles in the pathogenesis of vitreoretinal B-cell lymphoma, although the exact mechanisms remain unclear. We determined the immune mediator profile in the vitreous of eyes with vitreoretinal B-cell lymphoma.

Methods.: We studied 28 eyes (23 patients) with vitreoretinal B-cell lymphoma, and 27 eyes (27 patients) undergoing vitrectomy for macular hole and epiretinal membrane served as controls. Undiluted vitreous samples were collected, and cytometric bead array and ELISA were used to determine the vitreous concentrations of 38 immune mediators, including 14 interleukins (IL); interferon (IFN)-γ; oncostatin M (OSM); IFN-γ-inducible protein (IP)-10; monocyte chemoattractant protein (MCP)-1; macrophage inflammatory protein (MIP)-1α; MIP-1β, regulated on activation, normal T-cell expressed and secreted (RANTES); monokine induced by IFN-γ (Mig); stromal cell-derived factor (SDF)-1α; B-cell-attracting chemokine (BCA)-1; basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF); Fas ligand; granzyme A; and granzyme B.

Results.: Vitreous levels of BCA-1, bFGF, Fas ligand, granzyme A, granzyme B, IFN-γ, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, IP-10, MCP-1, Mig, MIP-1α, MIP-1β, OSM, RANTES, and SDF-1α were significantly higher in vitreoretinal B-cell lymphoma patients than in controls. A moderate-to-strong positive correlation was observed between granzyme A and BCA-1, IFN-γ, or MIP-1β; between IFN-γ and Mig or SDF-1α; between IL-6 and IL-8, IL-10, IP-10, or MCP-1; between IL-8 and MCP-1, Mig, or MIP-1β; between IL-10 and MCP-1 or MIP-1α; between Mig and IP-10 or Mig; and between MIP-1α and MIP-1β.

Conclusions.: Our study suggested that elevated vitreous levels of various immune mediators inducing growth, migration, and apoptosis of B-cell lymphoma are involved possibly in the pathophysiology of vitreoretinal B-cell lymphoma.