scholarly journals Alterations in Mucin-Associated Gene Expression on the Ocular Surface in Active and Stable Stages of Atopic and Vernal Keratoconjunctivitis

2021 ◽  
Vol 2021 ◽  
pp. 1-8
Author(s):  
Mariko Horinaka ◽  
Jun Shoji ◽  
Akiko Tomioka ◽  
Yukiko Tonozuka ◽  
Noriko Inada ◽  
...  

Purpose. To evaluate the presence of ocular surface mucin in patients with atopic and vernal keratoconjunctivitis (AKC/VKC), we investigated the mRNA expression levels of SAM-pointed domain-containing ETS-like factor (SPDEF) and mucin-related genes on the ocular surface. Methods. Nineteen patients with AKC or VKC were divided into two groups based on the severity of the disease as determined by their clinical scores for AKC/VKC: the stable group and the active group. Impression cytology was performed in all patients using filter paper, and the expression levels of SPDEF, MUC1, MUC4, MUC5AC, MUC16, and eotaxin-2 mRNA were determined by real-time reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction. Results. The results showed that the expression levels of SPDEF and MUC5AC mRNA in the active group were significantly decreased compared with those in the stable group. Furthermore, clinical scores were significantly negatively correlated with the expression levels of SPDEF mRNA and significantly positively correlated with the expression levels of eotaxin-2, which is a biomarker for eosinophilic inflammation on the ocular surface. Cluster analysis classified the patients with AKC/VKC into three clusters, and the stable group was divided into two clusters according to the condition of ocular surface mucin. Conclusions. Ocular surface mucin in patients with AKC/VKC is altered in accordance with the clinical severity of the disease.

2016 ◽  
Vol 2016 ◽  
pp. 1-5 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yukiko Shiraki ◽  
Jun Shoji ◽  
Noriko Inada

Purpose. This study aimed to evaluate the clinical efficacy of using expression levels ofCCL24(eotaxin-2) mRNA on the ocular surface as a biomarker in patients with vernal keratoconjunctivitis (VKC) and atopic keratoconjunctivitis (AKC).Methods. Eighteen patients with VKC or AKC (VKC/AKC group) and 12 control subjects (control group) were enrolled in this study. The VKC/AKC clinical score was determined by objective findings in patients by using the 5-5-5 exacerbation grading scale. All subjects underwent modified impression cytology and specimens were obtained from the upper tarsal conjunctiva. Expression levels ofCCL24(eotaxin-2) mRNA on the ocular surface were determined using real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction.Results. The VKC group was divided into two subgroups, depending on the clinical score: the active stage subgroup with 100 points or more of clinical scores and the stable stage subgroup with 100 points or less.CCL24(eotaxin-2) mRNA expression levels in the active VKC/AKC stage subgroup were significantly higher than those in the stable VKC/AKC subgroup and the control group. Clinical scores correlated significantly withCCL24(eotaxin-2) mRNA expression levels in the VKC group.Conclusions.CCL24(eotaxin-2) mRNA expression levels on the ocular surface are a useful biomarker for clinical severity of VKC/AKC.


2021 ◽  
Vol 27 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S34-S35
Author(s):  
Jiannan Li ◽  
Ilyssa Gordon ◽  
Dina Dejanovic ◽  
Sinan Lin ◽  
Jie Wang ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Intestinal fibrosis is a severe complication of inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) leading to intestinal strictures and need for surgery. No effective anti-fibrotic therapy is available. Cadherin-11 (Cad-11) is an adherens junction protein, which is upregulated in rheumatoid arthritis (RA), idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) and skin fibrosis. Inhibition of cadherin-11 has shown beneficial effects in RA and IPF animal models. A phase II clinical trial of cadherin-11 inhibition in RA has shown a good safety profile. Our aim was to evaluate the expression levels and function of Cad-11 in IBD patients using intestinal tissues, primary human intestinal cells, and the murine dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced chronic colitis model. Methods IBD (Crohn’s disease (CD) n=20; Ulcerative colitis (UC) (n=10) and control (n=10) full thickness resected intestinal tissues were procured from adults in accordance with IRB approval. Protein and mRNA were extracted for western blot (WB) and quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). Distribution of Cad-11 was evaluated by immunofluorescence (IF) and RNA hybridization in frozen and formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissue sections, respectively. Primary human intestinal myofibroblasts (HIMF) were used in functional experiments. Recombinant human Fc and Cad-11 extracellular domain (hCAD-11-Fc) was used as activator and siRNA as inhibitor of Cad-11 in HIMF. Murine chronic colitis was induced in wildtype BALB/c mice and cadherin-11 knockout mice by DSS. Anti-Cad-11 monoclonal antibody (H1M1) was used for the treatment of BALB/c mouse colitis. Results Increased gene and protein expression levels of Cad-11 were found in intestinal full thickness IBD tissue compared to controls (45-fold, p<0.01). Cad-11 colocalized with alpha smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) (Figure 1), indicating that Cad-11 is selectively expressed in intestinal myofibroblasts and smooth muscle cells. Among all the primary human intestinal cells, Cad-11 was expressed exclusively in HIMF and HIMC cells. Level of Cad-11 was increased in IBD HIMFs compared to non-IBD controls, and increased upon stimulation with TNF-α, IL-1β, b-FGF and TGF-β (all p<0.01). Knocking down Cad-11 with siRNA decreased FN expression, while hCAD-11-Fc increased the expression FN in a dose- and time-dependent manner as well as the proliferation of HIMF. Upon treatment with H1M1 antibody, DSS-treated mice showed lower clinical scores and weight loss compared to control mice (p<0.001. Figure 2), as well as less FN expression (p<0.001). Cadherin-11 knockout mice also showed lower clinical scores and weight loss compared to wild type mice (p<0.001). Conclusions Cad-11 expression is increased in CD stricture tissues and its blockade reduces profibrotic effects in HIMF in vitro. Inhibition of Cad-11 in vivo reduces clinical severity and fibrosis of experimental colitis.


2003 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 115-127 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Murube ◽  
L. Rivas

Purpose To obtain deeper knowledge of the cellular transition in squamous metaplasia, and to look for a correlation between the clinical grade of severity of dry eye and the grade of squamous metaplasia of the corneal and conjunctival epithelium, studied by impression cytology. Methods A total of 143 patients with dry eye disorders of different grades of clinical severity and 33 control subjects of matched age and sex were studied. Symptoms, clinical tests (including Schirmer test, slit-lamp examination, break-up time, rose Bengal staining, vanishing lacunar sulci, and neovascularization), and tear osmolarity were used to establish the diagnosis of dry eye. The subjects were classified into six clinical grades, grade 0 indicating normal and grades 1 to 5 progressively more severe dry eye. Impression cytology specimens were taken from the central cornea and different areas of the conjunctiva of one eye from all patients. A morphologic and morphometric study of the photographs obtained by light microscopy showed cell size, nuclear size, nuclear-cytoplasmic ratio (N:C) in nonsecretory epithelial cells, and density of goblet cells. Results Morphometric and morphologic studies of the ocular surface cells indicated significant differences, mainly in cell sizes, nuclear alterations, and the N:C ratio, in nonsecretory epithelial cells of the conjunctiva and cornea, and in goblet cell densities from the conjunctiva, between the clinically normal eyes and those with the five grades of clinical severity of dry eye, with different degrees of squamous metaplasia. Conclusions A morphologic and morphometric analysis of the ocular surface from patients with dry eye obtained by impression cytology led us to draft a new grading system containing one normal level and five levels of squamous metaplasia. This new grading system is based on a significant decrease in the number of goblet cells with less periodic acid-Schiff-hematoxylin-positive staining, an increase in nonsecretory cell size, more marked cell separation, a lower N:C ratio, and an increase in nuclear alterations. The clinical severity of the dry eye correlates with these alterations.


2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 105-117
Author(s):  
Shreya Thatte ◽  
Amit Varma ◽  
Seemee Kapadia ◽  
Suchi Paliwal ◽  
Aviral Vasudeo

Introduction: Vernal keratoconjunctivitis (VKC) is a chronic recurrent allergic disorder of the eye more common in warm and dry climates like central India. Chronic and recurrent nature of disease requires long duration of treatment which leads to changes in ocular surface leading to cytomorphological distortion of goblet cells, that can be evaluated by impression cytology. Clinical presentation and impact of disease on cytomorphology of ocular surface was analysed in various forms of the VKC. The objective of this study was to find correlation of clinical profile and cytomorphological changes in ocular surface in patients with various forms of vernal keratoconjunctivitis. Materials and methods: This cross sectional study analysed 120 eyes of 60 patients of various forms of vernal keratoconjunctivitis. Detailed history was taken along with complete ophthalmic examination. Vernal keratoconjunctivitis was graded as per Gokhale et al classification. Impression cytology for goblet cell morphology and metaplasia according to classification given by Saini et al was done. Cytological changes were noted for different age groups, duration of disease, and severity of disease. Results: Vernal keratoconjunctivitis was seen more commonly in males and in the second decade of life which shows a changing trend towards higher age. Milder forms were more commonly present than moderate and severe forms. Mostly Grade 2 changes were seen on impression cytology.  Conclusion: Increasing severity, duration of disease and age of presentation was directly proportionate to greater cytological changes on ocular surface.


2019 ◽  
Vol 16 (4) ◽  
pp. 365-372 ◽  
Author(s):  
Qishuai Liu ◽  
Li Wang ◽  
Guizhen Yan ◽  
Weifa Zhang ◽  
Zhigang Huan ◽  
...  

Background: MicroRNAs (miRNA) are known to play a key role in the etiology and treatment of epilepsy through controlling the expression of gene. However, miR-125a-5p in the epilepsy is little known. Epilepsy in rat models was induced by Pentylenetetrazol (PTZ) and miR- 125a-5p profiles in the hippocampus were investigated in our experiment. Also, the relationship between miR-125a-5p and calmodulin-dependent protein kinase IV (CAMK4) was identified and the related mechanism was also illustrated. Methods: The miR-125a-5p mRNA expression levels were evaluated by quantitative real time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Western Blot (WB) was used to analyze the CAMK4 protein expression levels. Seizure score, latency and duration were determined based on a Racine scale. The enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to analyze the inflammatory factor expression. The relationship between miR-125a-5p and CAMK4 was detected through dual luciferase assay. Results: Downregulation of miR-125a-5p was observed in the hippocampus of PTZ-induced epilepsy rats. The overexpression of miR-125a-5p attenuated seizure and decreased inflammatory factor level in the hippocampus of PTZ-induced rats. The miR-125a-5p alleviated epileptic seizure and inflammation in PTZ-induced rats by suppressing its target gene, CAMK4. Conclusion: miR-125a-5p may represent a novel therapeutic treatment for PTZ-induced epilepsy by preventing the activation of CAMK4.


BMC Cancer ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Li Zhang ◽  
Hao Niu ◽  
Ping Yang ◽  
Jie Ma ◽  
Bao-Ying Yuan ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Early screening and intervention therapies are crucial to improve the prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients with bone metastasis. We aimed to identify serum lncRNA as a prediction biomarker in HCC bone metastasis. Methods The expression levels of lnc34a in serum samples from 157 HCC patients were detected by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Univariate analysis and multivariate analysis were performed to determine statistically significant variables. Results Expression levels of lnc34a in serum from HCC patients with bone metastasis were significantly higher than those without bone metastasis. The high expressions of lnc34a, vascular invasion and Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) stage were associated with bone metastasis by analysis. Moreover, lnc34a expression was specifically associated with bone metastasis rather than lung or lymph node metastasis in HCC. Conclusions High serum lnc34a expression was a independent risk factor for developing bone metastasis in HCC.


2020 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
pp. 1013-1023
Author(s):  
Lina Xing ◽  
Jinhai Ren ◽  
Xiaonan Guo ◽  
Shukai Qiao ◽  
Tian Tian

AbstractPrevious research has revealed the involvement of microRNA-212-5p (miR-212-5p) and cyclin T2 (CCNT2) in acute myeloid leukemia (AML). However, whether the miR-212-5p/CCNT2 axis is required for the function of decitabine in AML has not been well elucidated. Quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction was used to examine enrichment of miR-212-5p. The relationship between CCNT2 and miR-212-5p was verified by the luciferase reporter assay. Cell apoptosis was evaluated by flow cytometry and western blot. CCK-8 assay was performed to determine cell viability. Decitabine significantly repressed cell viability, while promoted cell apoptosis. Meanwhile, the expression levels of cyclinD1, CDK4, and Bcl-2 were suppressed in cells with decitabine exposure, but Bax and caspase-3 expression levels were upregulated. Besides, miR-212-5p upregulation had the similar function with decitabine in AML cell proliferation and apoptosis. Subsequently, restoration of CCNT2 attenuated miR-212-5p overexpression-induced effects in Kasumi-1 and SKNO-1 cells. In addition, miR-212-5p depletion reversed decitabine-induced CCNT2 downregulation. The miR-212-5p/CCNT2 axis had an implication in the anti-leukemic effect of decitabine in AML.


PEDIATRICS ◽  
1967 ◽  
Vol 39 (5) ◽  
pp. 675-688
Author(s):  
Denis R. Miller ◽  
Robert L. Baehner ◽  
Louis K. Diamond

Two cases of PNH in adolescence and childhood are reported. The first presented at age 7½ years with aplastic anemia and improved after splenectomy performed at age 14. The second, a 15-year-old girl, presented with a Coombs-positive hemolytic anemia and has had a course complicated by multiple peripheral thromboses. The clinical and laboratory manifestations, complications, and certain therapeutic aspects of PNH are discussed. Anticoagulant therapy appears indicated in the presence of multiple thrombotic episodes. Erythrocyte metabolic studies revealed normal glycolysis, ATP stability, and GSH content in the cells of a child with a normal reticulocyte count. Mild elevations of glycolysis, noted in the child with a reticulocytosis, was ascribed to a younger mean red cell population since further elevations found in the "top" reticulocyte-rich layer after centrifugation. Heparin, the anticoagulant used in these studies, had no adverse effect on glycolysis but did inhibit hemolysis and minimize ATP instability when compared to cells suspended in defibrinated serum. Erythrocytes fractionated by centrifugation revealed increased glycolytic enzyme activities of hexokinase, G3PD, PGK, TPI, PK, LDH, G6PD, and 6PGD in the reticulocyte-rich layer. Normal, rather than increased activity of aldolase, a membrane enzyme, may reflect damage to the red cell membrane. PFK, known to be decreased in the erythrocyte of neonates, showed normal activity, but it was lowest in the reticulocyte-rich layer. Fetal hemoglobin was elevated in this layer. AChE deficiency and increased suceptibility to hydrogen perioxide and acid hemolysis confirmed previous reports and were most marked in the young cell layer. The level of increased glycolytic rates and enzyme activity, AChE deficiency, acid hemolysis and peroxide hemolysis were related to the clinical severity of the disease.


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