Human pterygium is made up of chronic proliferative fibro-vascular tissue growing on the ocular surface. This disease exhibits both degenerative and hyperplastic properties. Some fibroangiogenic factors have recently been shown to play a potential role in fibrovascular diseases via the angiogenesis process. The aim of this study is to evaluate VEGF, TGF-β and PGE₂ expression in the epithelial, ...

PURPOSE The goal of the present study was to investigate the role of platelet activating factor (PAF) and PAF receptor (PAF-R) in the recruitment of eosinophils into the conjunctiva in the course of PAF induced conjunctivitis. Eosinophils are important players in the immediate hypersensitivity reactions and in allergic conjunctivitis. PAF-R is expressed in many ocular tissues including conjunct...

PURPOSE To study both systemic and ocular nerve growth factor (NGF) in inflamed juvenile conjunctival nevus (IJCN), a benign, inflammatory juxtalimbal lesion characterized by many intralesional eosinophils, and to investigate the behavior of eosinophils cocultured on lesional and extralesional fibroblasts obtained from IJCN biopsies, in relation to NGF. METHODS Eight patients with IJCN (7-15 ...

PURPOSE The occurrence of repetitive dry eye is accompanied by inflammation. This study investigated the anti-inflammatory effects of chondrocyte-derived extracellular matrix (CDECM) on the cornea and conjunctiva in a dry eye mouse model. METHODS Dry eyes were experimentally induced in 12- to 16-week-old NOD.B10.H2(b) mice (Control) via subcutaneous injections of scopolamine (muscarinic recep...

BACKGROUND To examine the immunohistochemical expression of heat shock protein 90 (Hsp90) and Ki-67 protein in human pterygium. MATERIALS AND METHODS Tissues obtained during pterygium surgery of 15 patients who underwent the bare-sclera procedure and 10 normal conjunctivae were studied. All of these pterygia were primary ones. Recurrent pterygia were excluded. Normal bulbar conjunctivas (2 x ...

Active ion transport and coupled osmotic water flow are essential to maintain ocular surface health. We investigated regional differences in the ion transport activities of the rat conjunctivas and compared these activities with those of cornea and lacrimal gland. The epithelial sodium channel (ENaC), sodium/glucose cotransporter 1 (Slc5a1), transmembrane protein 16 (Tmem16a, b, f, and g), cyst...

PURPOSE Our recent reports indicated that the molecular changes of pterygia are similar to tumor cells. We believe that pterygia may have a similar mechanism in oncogenesis. Many studies have revealed that E-cadherin associated protein expression decreases in many tumors and pterygia. E-cadherin may be a marker for both tumor metastasis and prognosis. However, no studies have examined the reaso...

PURPOSE Keratin 12 (K12) is a cornea epithelial cell-specific intermediate filament component. To provide a better understanding of its expression, it is necessary to identify and characterize the promoter of Krt1.12 gene. METHODS The 2.5-kb DNA 5' to Krt1.12 gene was sequenced. Krt1.12 promoter-beta-gal DNA constructs were prepared and used in vivo to transfect rabbit corneas, conjunctivas, ...

AIM Covalent conjugates consisting of diverse antigens coupled to optimal numbers of monomethoxypolyethylene glycol (mPEG) molecules have been shown to suppress antigen specific antibody formation. In this study, the possibility was examined that the same conjugates might prevent experimental immune mediated blepharoconjunctivitis (EC, formerly EAC) which had been shown to be caused by CD4(+) T...