ABSTRACT
Objective: To explore the application value of optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) in retinal microvascular blood flow in children with anisometropic amblyopia. Methods: 31 children with monocular anisometropic amblyopia in the Department of Ophthalmology in Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University from June to August in 2018 were included. The 3 mm × 3 mm and 6 mm × 6 mm area centered on the macular area and 4.5 mm × 4.5 mm area centered on the optic disc area were detected by OCTA. The software automatically calculated the average blood flow densities of superficial capillary plexus (SCP) and deep capillary plexus (DCP), and the average blood flow densities of optic disc and the peripapillary area, the average area of foveal avascular zone (FAZ), as well as the average foveal thickness in the anisometropic amblyopia and the contralateral eyes. The anisometropic amblyopia eyes of the children were classified as the amblyopia group, and the contralateral non-ambly eyes were classified as the contralateral eye group. The differences in blood flow parameters between two groups were compared. Results: In the 3 mm × 3 mm macular scan, the average blood flow densities of SCP and DCP in the amblyopia group were (46.40±4.72)% and (52.17±2.82)%, respectively, and the average blood flow densities in the contralateral eye group were (48.48±3.46)% and (54.31±2.18)%, respectively. The differences in the average blood flow densities of SCP and DCP between two groups were statistically significant (P=0.012, P=0.012). In the 6 mm × 6 mm macular scan, the average blood flow densities of SCP and DCP in the amblyopia group were (47.41±3.04)% and (48.92±5.34)%, respectively, and the average blood flow densities in the contralateral eye group were (50.36±2.70)% and (51.54±4.69)%, respectively. The differences between two groups were statistically significant (P=0.016, P=0.046). In the 4.5 mm × 4.5 mm optic disc scan, the average blood flow densities of the optic disc in the amblyopia group and the contralateral eye group were (48.98±4.03)% and (52.06±3.90)%, respectively. The difference was also statistically significant (P= 0.040). The average blood flow densities of the peripapillary area in the amblyopia group and the contralateral eye group were (52.16±2.22)% and (52.44±1.50)%, respectively. The difference was not statistically significant. Conclusion: The average blood flow densities of SCP, DCP and optic disc in the anisometropic amblyopia eyes are significantly lower than that in the contralateral eyes. OCTA has certain application value in evaluating retinal blood flow in children with anisometropic amblyopia.
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Objective:To investigate the effects of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) on the expression of secreted protein acidic and rich in cysteine (SPARC) and the fibrosis in cultured human Tenon's fibroblast (HTF) in vitro. Methods:HTF cells were obtained from Tenon's capsule tissues of patients undergoing strabismus surgery. Immunofluorescence was used to identify the HTF cells. HTF cells were cultured with different concentrations of VEGF, and which were divided into four groups, i.e., 0 ng/mL group, 25 ng/mL group, 50 ng/mL group and 100 ng/mL group. The expression of SPARC, collagen- , and matrix metalloprotein 9 (MMP-9) and the activity of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) pathway were analyzed by Western blotting and real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR). The abilities of proliferation and migration of HTF cells were detected by MTS assay and scratch test, respectively. Results:HTF cells were observed and identified by inverted phase contrast microscope and immunofluorescence. Under the stimulation of VEGF, the expression of protein and mRNA of SPARC, collagen-I and MMP-9 of HTF cells in other three groups were increased compared with 0 ng/mL group; the phosphorylation activities of ERK pathway were up-regulated, and the proliferation and migration abilities of HTF cells were up-regulated. And the effect was the most obvious in the 50 ng/mL group. Conclusion:VEGF is involved in promoting the fibrosis of HTF cells accompanied by the up-regulation of the SPARC, which suggests SPARC may become a potential regulatory site.
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Objective· To analyze and compare the subfoveal choroidal thickness and macular ganglion cell layer (MGCL) thickness in hyperopia anisometropic amblyopic children between the amblyopic eyes and the fellow eyes.Methods · The subfoveal choroidal thickness and the MGCL thickness were measured by enhanced depth imaging spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (EDI-OCT) in 63 hyperopic anisometropic amblyopic children.The value of subfoveal choroidal thickness and the MGCL thickness were compared between the amblyopic eyes and the fellow eyes.The average thickness of the eyes between the different types was compared using the paired t test.Results· Mean subfoveal choroidal thickness was (321.83±12.74) μm and (316.78±18.76) μm respectively in amblyopic and fellow eyes (P 0.182).Mean MGCL thickness was (83.78±4.81) μm in amblyopic eyes and (83.26±4.17) μm in the fellow eyes (P=0.223).Conclusion· Mean subfoveal choroidal thickness and MGCL thickness were not statistically significant between hyperopic anisometropic amblyopic eyes and normal fellow eyes.
ABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the effect of overexpression of Smad7 gene on cell proliferation in human bronchial epithelial cell lines.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Human bronchial epithelial cell lines, BEP2D and BERP35T2 cells, were cotransfected with the mammalian expression vectors PCISmad7.neo and pMyc-SEAP, the latter was ac-myc cis-acting enhancer element fused with alkaline phosphatase (SEAP) reporter gene. Expression of c-myc, p15 and p21 mRNA was detected by RT-PCR before and after stable transfection of Smad7 into BEP2D and BERP35T2 cells in order to study the regulation of TGF-beta-mediated growth inhibition.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>After BEP2D and BERP35T2 cells transfected with Smad7, the transcriptional activity of c-myc was significantly increased. Smad7 overexpressing cells showed upregulation of c-myc expression and downregulation of p15 and p21 expression, which contributed to the loss of TGF-beta responses in these cells.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Overexpression of Smad7 may facilitate cell proliferation by antagonizing TGF-beta-mediated antiproliferative gene responses.</p>