Primary acquired melanosis (PAM) without atypia/WHO low-grade conjunctival melanocytic intraepithelial lesion over areas of oculodermal melanocytosis

An elderly white man with a history of left oculodermal melanocytosis presented with new onset brown pigmentation of the left bulbar and inferior tarsal conjunctiva. The bulbar conjunctival pigmentation was at the level of the conjunctival epithelium and was overlying areas of typical slate-grey scleral pigmentation characteristic of oculodermal melanocytosis. Both areas of new pigmentation were biopsied. The bulbar conjunctiva revealed primary acquired melanosis (PAM) without atypia with increased melanin production and the tarsal conjunctival biopsy showed PAM without atypia sine pigmentio overlying areas of substantia propria spindle-shaped heavily pigmented melanocytes of oculodermal melanocytosis. The case report examines the relationship between the epithelial and substantia propria melanocytes and correlates the findings with what is known about this association from the dermatopathology literature.

Comparative morphological evaluation of animal corneal parameters

The purpose of this study was to broaden the basic knowledge of corneal morphological structures in pigs, cows and rabbits and to find morphological and histological differences in the constituent corneal structures. After slaughter, corneal samples of 24 animals, including cows, pigs and rabbits, were investigated. Forty-eight eyeballs (n=48) of 8 pigs, 8 cows and 8 rabbits were used for this study. Central corneal thickness (CCT) values in cows were higher than those in pigs (P < 0.001) and rabbits. In rabbits, CCT, as a percentage of the eye axis length, was 55.03% greater than in cows and 40.55% greater than in pigs (P<0.001). The thickness of substantia propria (stroma) depended on the species and accounted for more than 80% of the thickness of all layers of the cornea. The thickness of the anterior epithelium amounted to 15.81% of the thickness of all layers of the cornea in cows, 11.79% in pigs, and 8.48% in rabbits (P<0.001). The data analysis showed that the caudal limiting membrane + endothelium was the thinnest layer of the cornea, with thickness ranging from 0.88% to 2.40% of the total thickness of all layers of the cornea in the three species under study (P<0.001). A statistically significant negative correlation was determined between the anterior epithelium and substantia propria in corneas of cows, pigs and rabbits (P<0.001). This paper describes the morphometric parameters of the cornea in pigs, cows and rabbits. These parameters will be of use to scientists using animal models in vision science research. .

Confocal Microscopy in Biopsy Proven Argyrosis

Purpose. To evaluate the confocal microscopy findings of a 46-year-old male with bilateral biopsy proven argyrosis.Materials and Methods. Besides routine ophthalmologic examination, anterior segment photography and confocal microscopy with cornea Rostoch module attached to HRT II (Heidelberg Engineering GmbH, Heidelberg, Germany) were performed.Findings. Squamous metaplastic changes on conjunctival epithelium and intense highly reflective extracellular punctiform deposits in conjunctival substantia propria were detected. Corneal epithelium was normal. Highly reflective punctiform deposits starting from anterior to mid-stroma and increasing through Descemet’s membrane were evident. Corneal endothelium could not be evaluated due to intense stromal deposits.Conclusion. Confocal microscopy not only supports diagnosis in ocular argyrosis, but also demonstrates the intensity of the deposition in these patients.

Mousepox conjunctivitis: the role of Fas/FasL-mediated apoptosis of epithelial cells in virus dissemination

BALB/c mice infected with the Moscow strain of Ectromelia virus (ECTV-MOS) show a large number of apoptotic cells, and an influx of lymphoid cells in the epithelium and substantia propria of conjunctivae, respectively. The presence of ECTV-MOS antigens in the epithelium of conjunctivae significantly upregulates Fas in the epithelial layer and FasL in the suprabasal layer of conjunctiva. Inhibition of FasL with blocking antibodies in cultures of conjunctival cells isolated from ECTV-MOS-infected BALB/c mice showed that the Fas/FasL pathway is important in apoptosis of ECTV-MOS-infected cells. The results also showed that the presence of cytokines, in particular interferon (IFN)-γ, upregulated expression of Fas. Interleukin (IL) 2, 4, 10 and IFN-γ were produced at the peak of conjunctivitis (at day 15 of infection) with a predominance of IFN-γ and a small, but significant, production of IL4 and IL10 compared with non-infected animals. These results suggest that not only is Fas/FasL expression in conjunctiva involved in elimination of migrating Fas+ cells but also plays an important role in the turnover of conjunctival epithelium and thus may be crucial for ECTV spreading to the surrounding environment.

Ligneous conjunctivitis in four Doberman pinschers

Ligneous conjunctivitis (LC) was diagnosed in four unrelated Doberman pinschers. Thick, opaque membranes of the palpebral conjunctivae and nictitating membranes were present bilaterally. Three dogs had concurrent signs of multisystemic disease. A thick, amorphous, eosinophilic, hyaline-like material in the substantia propria of the conjunctiva--containing a moderate, mononuclear cell infiltrate--was evident on histological examination. A predominance of T lymphocytes, few macrophages, and weak positive staining for immunoglobulin G (IgG) and immunoglobulin A (IgA) were evident by immunohistochemical staining. The clinical and histological appearance of LC in Doberman pinschers and humans is similar.