Color Doppler Imaging Analysis of Ocular Blood Flow Velocities in Normal Tension Glaucoma Patients: A Meta-Analysis

Background. To evaluate the potential diagnostic value of CDI of retrobulbar hemodynamic changes in NTG patients. Methods. Relevant publications which included PSV, EDV, and RI of OA, CRA, NPCA, and TPCA in NTG patients and normal controls measured by CDI were retrieved from the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, PubMed, the ISI Web of Knowledge, and EMBASE from 1990 to 2014. Subgroup analyses were made based on IOP-lowering medications uses. Result. In OA, there was significant decrease of PSV with moderate heterogeneity (P<0.00001, I2=49%) and significant decrease of EDV with significant heterogeneity (P=0.0005, I2=87%) in NTG patients. In CRA, similar results of PSV (P<0.00001, I2=42%) and EDV (P<0.00001, I2=80%) were detected. Significant decrease of PSV and EDV with significant heterogeneity was also found in both NPCA (P<0.0001, I2=70%; P<0.0001, I2=76%; resp.) and TPCA (P<0.00001, I2=54%; P<0.00001, I2=65%; resp.). Statistically significant increases of RI were found in CRA (P=0.0002, I2=89%) and TPCA (P=0.02, I2=81%) with significant heterogeneities, though RI in OA (P=0.25, I2=94%) and in NPCA (P=0.15, I2=86%) showed no statistical changes with significant heterogeneities. Conclusions. Ischemic change of retrobulbar hemodynamics is one of the important manifestations of NTG. Hemodynamic parameters measured by CDI might be potential diagnostic tools for NTG

Peripapillary Choroidal Thickness and Open-Angle Glaucoma: A Meta-Analysis

Purpose. To investigate the potential relationship between open-angle glaucoma (OAG) and peripapillary choroidal thickness (PPCT). Materials and Methods. Relevant publications were searched systematically through various databases from inception to January 2016. Studies comparing PPCT in OAG patients and healthy controls were retrieved. All qualified articles were analyzed using Stata 14.0 and Revman 5.3 software. Results. A total of 13 studies were identified for inclusion. There was a significant reduction of average PPCT in OAG patients compared to control participants (WMD = −24.07, 95% CI: −34.29, −13.85). Reduction of PPCT was significant in the superior (WMD = −28.87, 95% CI: −44.96, −12.78) and nasal (WMD = −21.75, 95% CI: −41.52, −1.98) sectors, but there was no significant reduction of PPCT in the inferior (WMD = −9.57, 95% CI: −36.55, 17.40) and temporal (WMD = −13.85, 95% CI: −35.40, 7.70) sectors. No obvious publication bias was detected. Conclusions. This meta-analysis suggests that open-angle glaucoma patients have significantly decreased peripapillary choroidal thickness compared to healthy individuals. Peripapillary choroidal thickness measured by optical coherence tomography may be an important parameter to consider in open-angle glaucoma

Intravitreal ranibizumab or conbercept for retinal arterial macroaneurysm: a case series

Abstract Background There is no consensus for the standard treatment of retinal arterial macroaneurysm (RAM). Intravitreal anti-vascular endothelium growth factor (anti-VEGF) is an alternative treatment option for RAM. The purpose of this study is to describe the clinical efficacy of intravitreal ranibizumab or intravitreal conbercept for retinal arterial macroaneurysm. Case presentation Three cases that presented with symptomatic RAM were treated with intravitreal anti-VEGF agents. Two eyes received two intravitreal ranibizumab injections with a time interval of one month and completed a one-year follow-up, while one eye only received one intravitreal conbercept injection and was followed up for six months. Both the retinal thickness and the visual acuity were significantly improved at the final clinic visit. The macular hemorrhage and edema were resolved. There were no ocular or systemic side effects. Conclusions Intravitreal ranibizumab or conbercept might be used as a therapeutic option for symptomatic retinal arterial macroaneurysm patients. Anti-VEGF therapy should be further investigated in a larger series with longer follow-up for this disease profile

Surgical removal of submacular perfluorocarbon liquid with a 38-gauge flexible cannula combined with internal limiting membrane peeling and intravitreal air tamponade: a case series

Abstract Background To report a case series in which a modified technique was used to remove retained submacular perfluorocarbon liquid (PFCL) secondary to vitreoretinal surgery for rhegmatogenous retinal detachment. Case presentation Four patients who had undergone pars plana vitrectomy for rhegmatogenous retinal detachment were further treated with surgical intervention because of retained submacular PFCL. With a three-port pars plana approach, after the internal limiting membrane peeling with indocyanine green staining, a 38-gauge flexible cannula was used to aspirate the submacular perfluorocarbon bubble, followed by fluid-air exchange and air injection into vitreous cavity. Submacular perfluorocarbon liquid was removed successfully and visual acuity had an improvement in all cases. Conclusion The surgical removal of retained submacular PFCL using a 38-gauge flexible cannula combined with internal limiting membrane peeling and intravitreal air tamponade may provide anatomical and visual satisfactory outcomes

Prokaryotic Expression, Purification, and Antibacterial Activity of the Hepcidin Peptide of Crescent Sweetlips (<i>Plectorhinchus cinctus</i>)

The hepcidin peptide of crescent sweetlips (Plectorhinchus cinctus) is a cysteine-rich, cationic antimicrobial peptide that plays a crucial role in the innate immune system’s defense against invading microbes. The aim of this study was to identify the optimal parameters for prokaryotic expression and purification of this hepcidin peptide and characterize its antibacterial activity. The recombinant hepcidin peptides were expressed in Escherichia coli strain Arctic Express (DE3), with culture and induction conditions optimized using response surface methodology (RSM). The obtained hepcidin peptides were then purified before tag cleavage, and their antibacterial activity was determined. The obtained results revealed that induction temperature had the most significant impact on the production of soluble recombinant peptides. The optimum induction conditions were determined to be an isopropylthio-β-galactoside (IPTG) concentration of 0.21 mmol/L, induction temperature of 18.81 °C, and an induction time of 16.01 h. Subsequently, the recombinant hepcidin peptide was successfully purified using Ni-IDA affinity chromatography followed by SUMO protease cleavage. The obtained hepcidin peptide (without His-SUMO tag) demonstrated strong antimicrobial activity in vitro against V. parahaemolyticus, E. coli, and S. aureus. The results showed prokaryotic (E. coli) expression is a feasible way to produce the hepcidin peptide of crescent sweetlips in a cost-effective way, which has great potential to be used as an antimicrobial agent in aquaculture

Natural Antisense Transcript PEBP1P3 Regulates the RNA Expression, DNA Methylation and Histone Modification of CD45 Gene

The leukocyte common antigen CD45 is a transmembrane phosphatase expressed on all nucleated hemopoietic cells, and the expression levels of its splicing isoforms are closely related to the development and function of lymphocytes. PEBP1P3 is a natural antisense transcript from the opposite strand of CD45 intron 2 and is predicted to be a noncoding RNA. The genotype-tissue expression and quantitative PCR data suggested that PEBP1P3 might be involved in the regulation of expression of CD45 splicing isoforms. To explore the regulatory mechanism of PEBP1P3 in CD45 expression, DNA methylation and histone modification were detected by bisulfate sequencing PCR and chromatin immunoprecipitation assays, respectively. The results showed that after the antisense RNA PEBP1P3 was knocked down by RNA interference, the DNA methylation of CD45 intron 2 was decreased and histone H3K9 and H3K36 trimethylation at the alternative splicing exons of CD45 DNA was increased. Knockdown of PEBP1P3 also increased the binding levels of chromatin conformation organizer CTCF at intron 2 and the alternative splicing exons of CD45. The present results indicate that the natural antisense RNA PEBP1P3 regulated the alternative splicing of CD45 RNA, and that might be correlated with the regulation of histone modification and DNA methylation

Effect of Adenosine and Adenosine Receptor Antagonists on Retinal Müller Cell Inwardly Rectifying Potassium Channels under Exogenous Glutamate Stimulation

The vitreousness of glaucoma subjects contains elevated glutamate, and excessive extracellular glutamate is toxic to retinal neurons. Therefore, glutamate clearance is potentially impaired in the retina of glaucoma subjects. Müller cells play an important role in maintaining low extracellular levels of neurotransmitters, such as glutamate. A better understanding of the cross-talk between adenosine and glutamate may provide a better characterization of the regulatory network in Müller cells. Here, Müller cells were purified from the rat retina on postnatal day 5 using the papain digestion method. Application of increasing concentrations of glutamate (0-20 mmol/L) caused a dose-dependent decrease in the expression levels of Kir4.1, Kir2.1, GLAST, and GS. Exogenous adenosine regulated Kir channels and subsequently promoted GLAST and GS expression levels in Müller cells under exogenous glutamate stimulation. These effects were partly dependent on adenosine receptors