ABSTRACT
AIM: To investigate the relationship between semaphorin 7a expression and cell proliferation and migration in pterygium fibroblasts. METHODS: Twenty-six patients with surgically diagnosed pterygium were enrolled, including 15 cases of primary pterygium and 11 cases of recurrent pterygium. In addition, 12 cases of normal conjunctival tissue were collected. The expression of semaphorin 7a in normal conjunctival tissue, primary pterygium and recurrent pterygium was detected by real-time polymerase chain reaction. Recurrent pterygium fibroblasts were isolated and cultured, and the expression of semaphorin 7a was silenced by small interfering RNA (siRNA) interference technique. Furthermore, the effects of si-semaphorin 7a interference on the mRNA and protein levels of ß1-integrin, vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGFA) and vascular endothelial growth factor receptor (VEGFR), and on fibroblast proliferation were analyzed. Transwell assay was used to detect the effect of semaphorin 7a interference on fibroblast migration. RESULTS: Semaphorin 7a was highly expressed in the primary pterygium and recurrent pterygium samples than that of the normal conjunctival tissue. Compared with the primary pterygium, the expression of semaphoring 7a in the recurrent pterygium samples was significantly increased (P<0.05). The mRNA and protein expression levels of ß1-integrin, VEGFA and VEGFR were decreased after si-semaphorin 7a transfection, and as well as the cell proliferation and migration. CONCLUSION: Semaphorin 7a might play important roles in the pathogenesis of pterygium by affecting the expression of ß1-integrin, VEGFA and VEGFR.
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To explore the various clinical features of aniridia and its treatment. METHODS: It was a retrospective case series. All the 8 cases of 16 aniridia patients in our department from January, 1984 to January, 2007 were assayed. All the patients were bilateral aniridia suffering from abnormal vision and manifested with various degree of cataract, 5 eyes manifested with refractory glaucoma, 8 eyes with horizontal nystagmus. These patients underwent cataract extraction and intraocular lens implantation, trabeculectomy, ciliary process laser photocoagulation, in some of patients glass and cover strabismus exercise, color contact lens therapy were applied. RESULTS: Vision acuity in all of patients with severe cataract were improved after cataract surgery. One glaucoma eye underwent trabeculectomy, but failed to control the IOP and then received ciliary process laser photocoagulation. Three glaucoma eyes only underwent ciliary process laser photocoagulation, 1 eye received topical anti-glaucoma eye drops. The IOP of 3 eyes was controlled. However, the IOP of 2 eyes was not to be controlled. Vision acuity was improved in 4 strabismus eyes after wearing glass and strabismus exercise, the symptom of photophobia was disappeared in 2 eyes after wearing a pair of color contact lens. CONCLUSION: Although it is hard selection to select the proper treatment for aniridia, most of the cases can obtain a better vision, and relief of the symptom after proper treatment.