Impact of Dyslipidemia on Tear Film and Meibomian Gland Dysfunction: A Cross-Sectional Study of the Interplay between Serum Lipid Profile and Ocular Surface Health.

Purpose: To determine the relationship between dyslipidemia and dry eye disease (DED), as well as its influence on tear film and meibomian glands. Methods: This cross-sectional study included 40 patients with a mean age of 35.2 ± 13.9 years without any history of dyslipidemia. DED and serum lipid profile were evaluated after 8 hours of fasting. Patients were classified according to serum lipid levels with the following cut-off values: total cholesterol (TC) (200 mg/dl), high-density lipoprotein (HDL) (40 mg/dl), low-density lipoprotein (LDL) (130 mg/dl), and triglycerides (TG) (150 mg/dl). The relationship between serum lipid levels and DED was analyzed with the following variables: dry eye questionnaire-5 (DEQ-5), first (F-NIBUT) and average (A-NIBUT) noninvasive breakup time, tear meniscus height (TMH), lipid layer grade (LLG), conjunctival bulbar redness (CBR), and upper (U-LAMG) and lower (L-LAMG) loss area of meibomian glands. Results: Regarding tear film, patients with elevated TC and LDL levels reported significantly higher DEQ-5 scores and TMH (P < 0.05), while those with lower HDL levels showed significantly higher LLG (p < 0.05). Regarding MGD, patients with elevated TC, LDL, and TG, as well as lower HDL levels showed significantly higher L-LAMG (p < 0.05). HDL was correlated with LLG (p < 0.05), while TC was correlated with TMH (p < 0.05) and L-LAMG (p < 0.05), respectively. Conclusions: Disorders in TC, HDL, LDL, and TG levels were associated with DED, having an impact on the tear film and meibomian glands, specifically in DEQ-5 scores, LLG, and L-LAMG.

Efficacy of 0.1% crosslinked hyaluronic acid, coenzyme Q10 and vitamin E in the management of dry eye disease in menopause patients receiving antidepressants.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to test non-inferiority of a lower dose of crosslinked hyaluronic acid (CLHA) to a higher dose of carmellose eye drop in menopause patients receiving antidepressant treatments. METHODS: This prospective, double-blind, single-center study enrolled sixty female patients. Mean age was 63.25 ± 9.13 years. We examined patients with Schirmer I, breakup time (TBUT) and the ocular surface disease index (OSDI) at the first visit. Tear A eyedrops were formulated with crosslinked hyaluronic acid, coenzyme Q10 and vitamin E. Control tear B was formulated with carmellose sodium. Posology was two and five times, respectively. RESULTS: After 2 months of treatment, the tear A obtained 14.12 ± 7.47 score points for OSDI (t = 11.74, p < 0.01), and tear B obtained 19.46 ± 10.03 score points (t = 7.59, p < 0.01). The tear A obtained 13.77 ± 7.78 score points for Schirmer test (t = 0.88, p > 0.05), and tear B obtained 14.20 ± 8.62 score points (t = 2.92, p < 0.01). The tear A obtained 8.30 ± 2.08 s for TBUT (t = 15.50, p < 0.01), and tear B obtained 7.23 ± 2.40 s (t = 8.79, p < 0.01). CONCLUSION: Lower total daily dose of crosslinked hyaluronic acid eyedrops obtained similar efficacy results in terms of tear stability and subjective dry eye sensation than higher carmellose total daily dose. A lower total daily dose of crosslinked eyedrops was sufficient to achieve better dry eye disease management compared to carmellose.

Reelin-Dab1 signaling system in human colorectal cancer.

Reelin is an extracellular matrix protein that plays a critical role in neuronal migration. Here we show that the mucosa of human colon expresses reelin, its receptors ApoER2 and VLDLR, and its effector protein Dab1. Immunohistochemical analyses reveal that reelin expression is restricted to pericryptal myofibroblasts; Dab1 is detected at myofibroblasts, the apical domain of surface epithelial and crypt cells, and a strong linear staining is observed at the basement membrane; VLDLR and ApoER2 are in the cytoplasm of surface epithelium and myofibroblasts, and VLDLR is also detected in the cytoplasm of the crypt cells. Human colorectal cancer downregulates reelin without change in vimentin or N-cadherin mRNA levels. Decreased Reelin mRNA expression is accompanied by decreased HIC1 mRNA levels, increased mRNA levels of ApoER2 and DNMT1, increased reelin hypermethylation and no change in either Cask or TGF-ß1 mRNAs, suggesting that reelin repression results from a DNMT1-mediated hypermethylation of the reelin gene promoter. Decreased HIC1 expression may repress reelin transcription via increasing ApoER2 transcription. We conclude that the mucosa of human colon expresses the reelin-Dab1 signaling system and that reelin is repressed in colorectal cancer before epithelial-mesenchymal transition has occurred. The significant down-regulation of reelin expression makes this gene a promising biomarker for colorectal cancers. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

The Synaptojanins in the murine small and large intestine.

The expression of the phosphoinositides phosphatases Synaptojanins (Synjs) 1 and 2 has been shown in brain and in some peripheral tissues, but their expression in the intestine has not been reported. Herein we show that the small and large intestine express Synj1 and Synj2. Their mRNA levels, measured by RT-PCR, are not affected by development in the small intestine but in the colon they increase with age. Immunostaining assays reveal that both Synjs localize at the apical domain of the epithelial cells and at the lamina propria at sites also expressing the neuron marker calretinin. Synj2 staining at the lamina propria is fainter than that of Synj1. In colonocytes Synjs are at the apical membrane and cytosolic membrane vesicles. Synj2 is also at the mitochondria. Western blots reveal that the intestinal mucosa expresses at least two Synj1 (170- and 139-kDa) and two Synj2 (160- and 148-kDa) isoforms. The observations suggest that Synj1-170, Synj2-160, and Synj2-148 in colonocytes, might participate in processes that take place mainly at the apical domain of the epithelial cells whereas Synj1-139 in those at the enteric nervous system. Experimental colitis augments the mRNA abundance of both Synjs in colon but only Synj2 mRNA levels are increased in colon tumors. In conclusion, as far as we know, this is the first report showing expression, location and isoforms of Synj1 and Synj2 in the small and large intestine and that they might participate in intestinal pathology.