ABSTRACT
PURPOSE: Intrastromal epithelial migration occurs following deep excimer annular keratectomy. Our purpose is to determine the localization of gelatinase B expression and its relationship to migrating intrastromal epithelial cells following deep annular excimer keratectomy. METHODS: Rabbit corneas were treated with deep annular ablation and harvested 3, 5, 7 and 14 days following surgery. Histological examination was performed. Confocal microscopy was used to determine the time and the pattern of gelatinase B expression. This was compared to AE-5, vimentin, and alpha-smooth muscle actin immunolocalization. RESULTS: Histologic examination revealed islands of epithelial cells within the corneal stroma after deep annular excimer ablation, whereas eyes treated with superficial annular keratectomy did not show intrastromal epithelial migration. Immunoconfocal microscopy using monoclonal anti-matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) antibody demonstrated the presence of gelatinase B at the outer borders of the intrastromal epithelial islands following deep annular excimer keratectomy. CONCLUSION: Gelatinase B may be involved in the process of intrastromal epithelial migration following deep annular excimer keratectomy.
Subject(s)
Cell Movement , Collagenases/metabolism , Cornea/surgery , Corneal Stroma/cytology , Epithelial Cells/enzymology , Photorefractive Keratectomy , Actins/metabolism , Animals , Corneal Stroma/enzymology , Female , Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect , Keratins/metabolism , Lasers, Excimer , Matrix Metalloproteinase 9 , Microscopy, Confocal , Rabbits , Vimentin/metabolism , Wound Healing/physiologyABSTRACT
PURPOSE: Intravenous administration of the catecholamine epinephrine is known to have a stimulatory effect on aqueous humor flow in sleeping human subjects, an effect that is augmented by plasma corticosteroids. This study was performed to determine whether the closely related catecholamine norepinephrine has a similar effect on aqueous humor flow. METHODS: Twenty normal subjects were studied. Aqueous flow was measured by fluorophotometry. At night during sleep, norepinephrine or placebo was infused intravenously (i.v.) between midnight and 6 AM. The rate of aqueous flow during the norepinephrine infusion was compared with the rate of flow during placebo infusion, with each subject serving as his/her own control. The urinary excretions of epinephrine and norepinephrine were measured at the end of each infusion period. RESULTS: The norepinephrine infusion caused an 8% increase in systolic blood pressure (P < 0.001), a 15% increase in diastolic blood pressure (P < 0.001), and a 9% decrease in heart rate (P=0.003) compared with the placebo. The rate of aqueous humor flow during sleep from 12 AM to 6 AM was unchanged by norepinephrine. The rate was 1.27+/-0.31 microl/min (mean+/-SD) during i.v. infusion of placebo and 1.30+/-0.27 microl/min during infusion of norepinephrine (P=0.63). CONCLUSIONS: An infusion of norepinephrine during sleep that causes measurable changes in cardiovascular parameters has no measurable effects on the rate of aqueous humor flow. The lack of a measurable effect of a norepinephrine infusion contrasts to the stimulatory effect of an epinephrine infusion.
Subject(s)
Aqueous Humor/physiology , Norepinephrine/administration & dosage , Sleep , Adult , Blood Pressure/drug effects , Epinephrine/blood , Female , Fluorophotometry , Humans , Infusions, Intravenous , Male , Norepinephrine/bloodABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: The purpose of the study was to measure the effect of the topical carbonic anhydrase inhibitor, 2% dorzolamide hydrochloride, on the rate of aqueous humor flow in sleeping humans. DESIGN: A randomized, double-masked, placebo-controlled study. PARTICIPANTS: Twenty-five normal human subjects. INTERVENTION: Topical instillation of 2% dorzolamide hydrochloride versus topical placebo. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Rate of aqueous humor flow in sleeping humans and intraocular pressure immediately after awakening from sleep. RESULTS: The rate of flow in sleeping subjects at night (12 AM to 6 AM) was 1.28 +/- 0.30 microliters/min (mean +/- standard deviation; n = 25) in placebo-treated eyes, whereas the nighttime flow in dorzolamide-treated eyes was 1.17 +/- 0.38 microliters/min (P = < 0.001), resulting in a nighttime reduction of 9% (P = 0.032). In contrast, the daytime (8 AM to 4 PM) rate of flow in ambulatory subjects was 2.97 +/- 0.64 microliters/min in placebo-treated eyes and 2.60 +/- 0.63 microliters/min (P = 0.032) in dorzolamide-treated eyes, resulting in a daytime reduction of 13% (P = < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Topically administered dorzolamide hydrochloride is effective for reducing the rate of aqueous humor flow in normal human eyes during the day and at night during sleep. The efficacy of dorzolamide at these two times is approximately half that of systematically administered acetazolamide.
