ABSTRACT
<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>Bilirubin is the end product of heme catabolism and has strong antioxidant properties. Serum bilirubin levels are reported to be reduced in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) and neuromyelitis optica (NMO). The pathophysiology of optic neuritis (ON) resembles that of MS; however, the role of endogenous bilirubin in ON is unclear. The aim of this study is to measure serum bilirubin levels in patients with ON, and to investigate the correlation between ON and serum antioxidant status of bilirubin.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Serum levels of bilirubin were measured in 42 patients with ON, 50 patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), 48 patients with neuromyelitis optica (NMO) and 48 healthy control subjects.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Serum total bilirubin (Tbil), direct bilirubin (Dbil) and indirect bilirubin (Ibil) levels in patients with ON were significantly lower than those in the healthy controls. However, no statistical significance was found between levels in the ON and MS, ON and NMO, and MS and NMO groups. In patients with ON, serum Tbil, Dbil, and Ibil levels were lower in those with recurrence or those with ON for a longer duration (≥ 1 year). Moreover, Tbil, Dbil, and Ibil concentrations were lower in patients with papillitis than in those with retrobulbar type ON, but the differences were not statistically significant.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Low antioxidant status may exist in patients with ON. But serum levels of Tbil, Dbil, and Ibil did not correlate with clinical presentations, such as recurrence, duration of disease and subtypes of ON. Low antioxidant status already existed in MS or NMO patients before systemic symptoms appeared.</p>
Subject(s)
Adolescent , Adult , Aged , Child , Child, Preschool , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Young Adult , Antioxidants , Metabolism , Bilirubin , Blood , Multiple Sclerosis , Blood , Neuromyelitis Optica , Blood , Optic Neuritis , BloodABSTRACT
AIM: To examine the relationship between corneal lymphangiogenesis and hemangiogenesis after keratoplasty.METHODS: Nineteen human corneas were obtained from 19 patients undergoing a second corneal transplantation in Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center in 2005. Blood and lymphatic vessels in human transplanted corneas were identified by lymphatic vessel endothelial receptor(LYVE-1) and platelet endothelial cell adhesion modecule-1(PECAM-1) immunohistochemistry, and double enzyme-histochemistry; then the association of corneal blood vessel counting (BVC) with lymphatic vessel counting (LVC) was examined.RESULTS: Corneal hemangiogenesis was present in 12 cases (63%), and lymphangiogenesis occurred in 5 cases (26%) of human transplanted corneas. In addition, corneal lymphangiogenesis was only present in vascularized corneas. LVC was strongly and positively correlated with BVC(r=0.725;P<0.01).CONCLUSION: Corneal lymphangiogenesis develops after keratoplasty, and strongly associates with hemangiogenesis.
ABSTRACT
AIM:To explore the inhibitive effects of cervical lymphadenectomy on kerstoplasy after alkaline burns.METHODS:The Wistar rats' corneas were transplanted into Sprague-Dawley(SD)rats' eyes which were randomly divided into 4 groups:group A(control group);group B,the cervicallymphadenectomy group;group C,corneal transplantation after the alkali burn injury;group D,cervical lymphadenectomy following group C.Out of 6 rats in each group,the cornea of one rat Was used for mawophage immunohistochemistry at day 14 after the transplantstion,and the remaining 5 rats were used for studying corneal immune rejection with a slit lamp.The time when allograft rejection occurred was recorded and mean survival times(MST)were compared among the groups.RESULTS:Compared with the MST of group A(10.40±1.14 days),the MST of group B(46.30±9.46 days)Was significantly longer(P＜0.05).MST of grafts between group C(7.00± 1.58 days)and group D(15.00±3.39 days)was also significant (P＜0.05).At 14th day after the transplantation,there was no CD68 immunoreactivity in the graft of group B,and CD68 proteins were expressed to some extent in the grafts of group A and D.However,in the graft of group C,the expression of proteins Was dramatically up-regulated.CONCLUSION:Cervical lymphadenectomy therapy has a significant effect in preventing corneal allograft rejection in normal and alkali burned oorneai beds.