Dendritic cells in ocular allergy

Background: The prevalence of ocular allergy is increasing, and dendritic cells (DC) are responsible for the initiation of the allergic response. Although it has been established that DC density increases in vernal keratoconjunctivitis, this is yet to be explored in other more prevalent forms of allergic conjunctivitis. A subclinical state termed “minimal persistent inflammation” has been described in some allergic diseases (e.g., rhinitis, asthma, vernal keratoconjunctivitis) where subjects maintain a base level of subclinical inflammation when not in contact with allergens but display increased susceptibility to developing symptoms in the presence of allergens, this even at subthreshold doses. Minimal persistent inflammation may similarly be a feature of allergic eye disease. Furthermore, most human studies have focused on characterising central corneal DC with little attention to the topographical characteristics of corneal and conjunctival DC or to DC morphology, both of which are important factors to consider in understanding DC activation and migration. This thesis aims to assess corneal and conjunctival epithelial DC (distribution, density, and morphology) in ocular allergy during the active and asymptomatic phases of allergy in humans. Methods: A retrospective study of ocular surface DC density and morphology in participants with systemic allergies, characterised by a positive skin prick test to common allergens compared with those negative to a skin prick test, was undertaken. To enable in vivo confocal microscopy (IVCM) images of DC to be reliably assessed in a clinical setting, a grading system for DC morphology at the ocular surface was developed and validated. Diurnal and topographical changes in DC density and morphology were assessed. Inter and intra-rater repeatability of corneal and conjunctival DC density and morphology was also described. A series of cross-sectional studies in the active and asymptomatic phases of allergic conjunctivitis based in Australia and in the active phase of allergic conjunctivitis and vernal keratoconjunctivitis based in Iran were conducted. Topographical characteristics of corneal and conjunctival DC density and morphology were assessed using IVCM. Results: Longer DC dendrites were observed in systemic allergic participants despite reduced DC density, suggesting an immune response at the ocular surface. A morphology grading system involving cell body size, presence of dendrites, and presence of long and thick dendrites was repeatable and could provide a user-friendly pictorial reference in a clinical setting. Diurnal variation was not observed in ocular surface DC density and morphology, and they could be reliably measured using IVCM. Both allergic conjunctivitis and vernal keratoconjunctivitis were associated with an increase in DC density and changes in morphology, indicating immune activation at the ocular surface. DC with larger cell bodies and a higher proportion of long dendrites at the corneal locations of people with allergic conjunctivitis were suggestive of increased antigen capture capacity of DC. Elevated DC density persisted at all corneal locations in the asymptomatic phase of allergic conjunctivitis but not in the conjunctiva, an indication of persistent inflammation. However, morphology analysis suggested these cells were not activated for antigen capture. In vernal keratoconjunctivitis, compared to non-allergic participants, DC bodies were larger, and more DC with long dendrites were observed at corneal locations. Participants with vernal keratoconjunctivitis had higher DC density at the corneal limbus and larger DC bodies at the corneal centre and periphery compared to those with allergic conjunctivitis. Conclusion: This research established the reliability of assessing ocular surface DC density and morphology using IVCM. Changes observed in DC density and morphology at the ocular surface might serve as biomarkers for the diagnosis and management of active inflammation in ocular allergy. The presence of corneal inflammation during the asymptomatic phase of allergy may have relevance for practitioners aiming to optimise treatment outcomes for their ocular allergy patients. The applicability of the morphology grading system should be explored in different ocular surface inflammatory and immune diseases

In vitro antitumor activity of Gracilaria corticata (a red alga) against Jurkat and molt-4 human cancer cell lines

Gracilaria corticata is a red alga which can be collected from many sea coasts around the world such as China, India, Persian Gulf, etc. The Persian Gulf is a unique marine habitat infested with diverse seaweeds. The aim of the present study is to explore anticancer potential of the crude extracts from G. corticata which was collected from the Bushehr coast (South west of Iran). Here, different concentration of the aqueous extract from G. corticata was tested for probable antitumoral activity on Jurkat and molt- 4 human lymphoblastic leukemic cell lines. The cells were treated by different concentration of algal extract and the number of viable cells was determined by trypan blue. Also, cytotoxicity of the extract was evaluated by methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium (MTT) assay. The results showed that 9.336 and 9.726 μg/μl of algal extract were the most effective concentrations against Jurkat and molt-4 cells, respectively. The water crude extract of red alga G. corticata had significant anticancer activity and it might be a good candidate for further investigations in order to develop a natural compound as an anticancer agent which can be used for the production of potential anticancer drug and novel pharmaceutical leads

Intraocular Pressure Changes after Water Drinking Test in Surgically Treated Primary Congenital Glaucoma

Purpose: To assess intraocular pressure (IOP) changes after the water drinking test (WDT) in patients with primary congenital glaucoma (PCG). Methods: In this prospective interventional study, 20 eyes of 20 patients with PCG were included. All patients had undergone trabeculotomy. Six out of twenty eyes had received a glaucoma drainage device (GDD) implantation. IOP was measured using an air-puff tonometer at baseline, and 15, 30, 45, and 60 min after WDT. The repeated-measures analysis of variance test was used to compare the mean IOPs at different time points. Results: The mean (± standard deviation) of participants’ age was 9.9 ± 2.7 years (range, 6 to 16 years), and 8 (40%) participants were male. The mean IOPs at baseline and 15, 30, 45, and 60 minutes after the WDT were 15.8 ± 3.7, 18.6 ± 3.4, 19.0 ± 3.8, 17.9 ± 3.8, and 16.9 ± 3.5 mmHg, respectively (P < 0.001). Pairwise comparisons revealed that the mean IOPs after 15 and 30 min were significantly greater than the baseline IOP (P < 0.001 and P = 0.002, respectively); however, the difference in mean IOPs after 45 and 60 min were not statistically significant from the baseline IOP. The averages of IOP peak and IOP fluctuation after the WDT were 20.0 ± 3.5 and 4.2 ± 2.9 mmHg, respectively. IOP fluctuation in those who underwent trabeculotomy alone was twice that of those with GDDs, but the difference was not statistically significant (5.0 vs 2.5 mmHg; P = 0.08). Conclusions: In patients with PCG, WDT induced significant IOP elevation 15 and 30 min after the test, which returned to pre-test values after 45 min

Application of Nanowires for Retinal Regeneration

Nanowires aim at developing advanced architectures are gaining popularity for damaged neural systems. The retina with a complicated structure is an essential part of our visual nervous system. Any disorder inside retina could lead to blindness due to irregularity in transferring neural signals to the brain. In recent years, the emergence of nanostructures, as well as nanowires, has provided a viable means for enhancing the regeneration of retinal. Nanowires with the ability to sense light and converting it to the electrical signals simulate the extracellular electrical properties, which are the newest nanostructures for the retinal applications. The different structure of nanowires has been examined in vitro, and several others are undergoing in vivo for vision recovery. Among the structures, core-shell nanowires and functionalized nanowires with gold nanoparticles attract the attention for the regeneration of retinal neural systems. Herein, subsequently provide an introduction to the anatomy of the retina, and retinal disorders, the latest progress in the regeneration of retina and vision using nanowires will be reviewed. Also, the different structures, including core-shell and functionalized nanowires with nanoparticles, will be examined. Eventually, the point of view and perspective of applying nanowire in retinal regeneration will be offered

Selective Iodination of Alcohols with NaI/Amberlyst 15 in Acetonitrile

Abstract: A simple and effective procedure for conversion of primary, secondary, allylic and benzylic alcohols into the corresponding iodides is described using NaI/Amberlyst 15 in acetonitrile at room temperature. Selective conversion of benzylic alcohols in the presence of saturated alcohols into the corresponding benzylic iodides is achieved under these conditions

The clinical impact of contact lens wear on neural structure and function of the cornea

Contact lens (CL) use is growing rapidly, with a current estimate of over 100 million wearers worldwide. Vast improvements in materials and designs have occurred over the past decades with advancements in the understanding of ocular surface health with CL wear. However, the potential impact of CL on neural structures and function of the ocular surface, particularly in relation to the richly innervated cornea, remain poorly understood. Problems with sensation such as CL discomfort and conditions that may be associated with lens wear including dry eye disease also remain pervasive. This narrative review discusses the findings from studies involving soft or rigid CL wearers, assessed with c linical techniques designed for examining the neural integrity of the cornea, namely in vivo confocal microscopy and esthesiometry. While the collective findings remain equivocal in terms of the changes in corneal nerve morphology and function with conventional CL wear, more specialised CLs, namely orthokeratology lenses, which mechanically manipulates the structure of the cornea seem to produce more prominent changes in nerve distribution and sensitivity reduction. Given the intricate relationship between neural and immune mechanisms in maintaining balanced ocular surface health, the potential links between these structural and functional findings with parainflammation and neuroinflammation, as well as clinical issues including CL discomfort and dry eye disease, are also explored

Association of rs4784227-CASC16 (LOC643714 locus) and rs4782447-ACSF3 polymorphisms and their association with breast cancer risk among Iranian population

TOX3 and FOXA1 proteins are believed to be involved in the susceptibility of breast cancer. rs4782447 and rs4784227, as single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), located at the 16q may affect the FOXA1 DNA binding sequence change and therefore may enhance the FOXA1-binding affinity to the promoter of TOX3 gene. This study aimed to investigate the association of these SNPs/haplotypes with breast cancer susceptibility in Iranian population. We conducted a case-control study of 1072 blood samples (505 breast cancer patients and 567 controls). Genotyping of rs4784227 and rs4782447 SNPs was carried out by ARMS PCR. Moreover, statistical analysis was done by SPSS 20.0 (IBM Inc., Chicago, IL, USA) and SNP analyser 2.0. There was a strongly significant statistical association between alleles and genotypes of rs4784227 with breast cancer susceptibility in a group of Iranian women (p<0.05). Moreover, a significant association was demonstrated between TA haplotype and breast cancer risk (OR=0.78; 95% CI (0.62-0.96); P-value=0.025). In this respect, although we did not observe a statistically significant association between rs4782447 with breast cancer susceptibility, the combination of the alleles of rs4784227 and rs4782447 SNPs may also affect the risk. This is in line with other studies where they suggest these SNPs as risk-associated polymorphisms by which lead to disruption of as a distal enhancer, FOXA1, binding and following that change in TOX3 expression that can eventually affect the risk of breast cancer

A method for improving the efficiency of DNA extraction from clotted blood samples

Funding information: This study was supported by a grant from the Research Council of the Mashhad University of Medical Sciences (Grant No: 931680). The authors would like to thank Dr. Hossein Eshghi at Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, the Ferdowsi University of Mashhad for his assistance in the experiment and Mohammad Sadegh Khorami who contributed to this study. We are also particularly grateful to the Research Council of the Mashhad University of Medical Sciences (MUMS) for the financial support of this studyPeer reviewedPublisher PD