1: Curr Eye Res. 2012 Feb 1; [Epub ahead of print] 

Proteomics of Post-Traumatic Proliferative Vitreoretinopathy in Rabbit Retina
Reveals Alterations to a Variety of Functional Proteins.

Zhou Q, Xu G, Zhang X, Cao C, Zhou Z.

The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University ,  Chongqing Key
Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Chongqing ,  P. R. China.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the protein profiles and
pathogenesis in rabbit retinas from normal and post-traumatic proliferative
vitreoretinopathy (PVR).   Materials and methods: A modified rabbit model of
post-traumatic PVR was modified used in the study. Two-dimensional gel
electrophoresis (2-DE) coupled with mass spectrometry (MS) were utilized to
identify the changes to the protein profiles of rabbit retina. The myosin light
chains-2 (MLC2) was subsequently chosen as a target for its biggest difference
in 2-DE gels using Western blot, immunohistochemistry and MTT assay.   Results:
Comparative gel analysis revealed that 20 spots were up-regulated or novel
emerged and 12 were down-regulated or even disappeared in PVR retinas. The
majority of changes could consist of the following functional groups of proteins
including the cell skeleton proteins; the wound healing/cell adhesion proteins;
the proteins involved in metabolism and in blood-retina barrier destruction;
oxidative stress-related proteins and the ion channel proteins. Western blot
analysis confirmed that MLC2 protein expression was upregulated in PVR retinas.
MTT assay showed that the anti-MLC2 monoclonal antibody significantly decreased
the proliferation in ARPE-19 cells stimulated with different concentrations and
times in vitro experiment.   Conclusions: Our results suggested that PVR is a
complicated pathology process with alterations in expression of a variety of
functional proteins rather than a single key protein. The data reported may be
useful for further studies on pathogenesis of human PVR and for the screening of
biomarkers to develop new potential therapeutic approaches.

PMID: 22295879  [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

2: Curr Eye Res. 2012 Jan 27; [Epub ahead of print] 

Assessment of Patient Satisfaction Following External Versus Transcanalicular
Dacryocystorhinostomy with a Diode Laser and Evaluation if Change in Quality of
Life After Simultaneous Bilateral Surgery in Patients with Bilateral
Nasolacrimal Duct Obstruction.

Yeniad B, Uludag G, Kozer-Bilgin L.

Department of Ophthalmology, Istanbul University, Istanbul Faculty of Medicine ,
 Istanbul ,  Turkey.

Aim: To compare patient satisfaction and experience after external
dacryocystorhinostomy (EX-DCR) versus transcanalicular DCR (TC-DCR) with a diode
laser and to evaluate the change in quality of life following simultaneous
bilateral DCR.   Methods: Prospective evaluation of 38 eyes of 19 patients with
bilateral nasolacrimal duct obstruction (NLDO) who underwent TC-DCR for the
right eye (Group 1) and EX-DCR for the left eye (Group 2) simultaneously. The
subjective outcomes (tearing, irritation, pain, discharge, swelling, and change
in visual acuity) of the patients in the two groups at 1 week, 1 month, and 3
months were compared using a questionnaire. The patients answered the questions
in the Glascow Benefit Inventory (GBI) to evaluate the change in quality of life
after simultaneous bilateral DCR at 1 month and 3 months. The symptom scores
were compared between Group 1 and Group 2 using a Mann-Whitney test. The
Wilcoxon test was used for the comparison of intragroup differences.   Results:
The overall symptom scores significantly improved in both groups. The overall
symptom score and six ocular symptom scores did not show a significant
difference between the two groups at 1 week, 1 month, and 3 months. Quality of
life of the patients significantly improved after simultaneous bilateral surgery
according to GBI scoring at 1 month and 3 months.   Conclusion: The subjective
outcomes significantly improved in similar ways after successful TC-DCR and
EX-DCR during the early postoperative period. Our study shows that simultaneous
bilateral DCR confers a significant quality of life improvement.

PMID: 22283720  [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

3: Curr Eye Res. 2012 Jan 24; [Epub ahead of print] 

Selenium Supplementation Can Slow the Development of Naphthalene Cataract.

Zhu X, Lu Y.

Department of Ophthalmology, Eye & ENT Hospital of Fudan University ,  Shanghai
,  China.

Purpose: To evaluate the effect of selenium supplementation on the progress of
naphthalene cataract. Materials and Methods: Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly
divided into five groups as follows: normal control, naphthalene control and
selenium-supplemented groups (Selenium I, II and III, which were orally
administrated with selenium at doses of 0.0104 mg/kg, 0.0208 mg/kg and 0.0416
mg/kg, respectively.). All the intervention groups were orally administered with
10% naphthalene solution for 5 weeks. The lens density of each group was
determined by photography. Moreover, glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activity in
the lens, erythrocyte and plasma was investigated. In addition, lens glutathione
(GSH), malondialdehyde (MDA) and hydroxyl radical levels were evaluated.
Selenium level in aqueous humor was determined using atomic absorption
spectrometry. Results: The maximum, mean and minimum densities of lens opacities
were lower in Selenium group II and III than those in naphthalene group. The
maximum density of the lens increased more slowly in Selenium group I than that
in naphthalene controls. In selenium-supplemented groups, blood and lens GPx
activities as well as aqueous humor selenium level increased significantly.
Selenium supplementation also significantly ameliorated the decrease in GSH
level and increase in MDA and hydroxyl radical levels in the lens of
naphthalene-treated rats. Conclusions: Selenium supplementation could slow the
development of naphthalene cataract possibly by attenuating the oxidative stress
in the lens.

PMID: 22273266  [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

4: Curr Eye Res. 2012 Jan 18; [Epub ahead of print] 

miR-124, miR-125b, let-7 and Vesicle Transport Proteins in Squid Lenses in L.
pealei.

Bitel CL, Singh V, Frederikse PH.

Department of Pharmacology and Physiology and the Rutgers-UMDNJ Integrative
Neurosciences Program ,  Newark, NJ ,  USA.

Purpose: Studies over the past several decades identified parallels between
neuron and lens fiber cell morphology, development, and physiology. Consistent
with this, mammalian lens fiber cells were shown to express a substantial
complement of genes that cluster with respect to synaptic vesicle transport and
exocytosis. Expression of these genes in these two cell types also appears
consistent with similarities described between lens fiber cell lateral
protrusions and neuronal dendrites. Recently, we showed vertebrate neurons and
lens fiber cells share expression of a core set of factors that form an
interlocking regulatory network which has a fundamental role in determining
neural cell identity. These included the REST/NRSF transcription factor, neural
RNA binding proteins and miR-124. In addition, we identified miR-125 and let-7
in mammalian lenses that have been shown to regulate dendrite formation in
neurons. The present study examined expression of miR-124, miR-125, and let-7 as
well as genes involved in vesicle transport in lens in the squid Loligo (also
referred to as Doryteuthis) pealei.   Methods: Northern blot, RT-PCR,
immunoblots, and in situ detection were used to analyze expression in squid and
vertebrate tissues.   Results: The present study provided evidence that miR-124,
miR-125, let-7 and vesicle transport-related proteins are produced in squid
lenses. Consistent with these mRNAs and miRNAs in squid lenses, and
polyribosomes shown by others, we detected substantial levels of tRNA and rRNA
in anuclear squid lenses which do not produce an epithelial cell layer that
would be analogous to vertebrate lenses.   Conclusions: Our study provided
evidence that miR-124, miR-125, and let-7, as well as proteins involved in
vesicle transport linked with synaptic and cargo vesicle transport in
vertebrates are also expressed in squid lenses.

PMID: 22257219  [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

5: Curr Eye Res. 2012 Feb;37(2):162. 

Corrigendum.

[No authors listed]

PMID: 22251402  [PubMed - in process]

6: Curr Eye Res. 2012 Feb;37(2):159-61. 

Effects of Tissue Fixation on Light Scatter by PCO.

Kruijt B, van den Berg TJ.

Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Royal Netherlands Academy for Arts and
Sciences ,  Amsterdam ,  The Netherlands.

Purpose: To investigate whether light scattering of posterior capsule
opacifications (PCOs) changes after fixation with paraformaldehyde (PFA).  
Methods: The intraocular lens with the lens capsule were extracted from
pseudophakic donor eyes. Images of the extracted sample were acquired pre and
post PFA-fixation using a dark field microscope. Light scatter intensity was
measured for different regions pre and post fixation.   Results: The regression
lines between the light intensities measured pre and post fixation for the three
color channels showed the same slope of 0.96. Also the correlation coefficients
were the same for the three color channels, namely 0.97.   Conclusions:
Scattering intensities of PCO tissue pre and post fixation are quantitatively
similar. The effects of fixation on the optical properties of PCO can be
considered small.

PMID: 22251401  [PubMed - in process]

7: Curr Eye Res. 2012 Feb;37(2):155-8. 

Histopathological Evaluation of Anterior Lamellar Corneal Tissue-On/-Off Storage
Conditions on DSAEK Donor Tissue after Storage in Organ Culture.

Jhanji V, Pollock GA, Mackey AL, Beltz J, Vajpayee RB.

Departemnt of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong
Kong ,  Hong Kong.

Purpose: To compare the quality of corneal endothelium of precut
Descemet-stripping automated endothelial keratoplasty (DSAEK) tissue when
transported with and without the anterior lamellar corneal tissue (ALCT) when
organ-culture corneal storage methods are used.   Methods: After
microkeratome-assisted excision of anterior corneal lamella, five pairs of
corneas (10 eyes) were stored either with the ALCT on the stroma (five eyes) or
with ALCT off the stroma (five eyes) in organ-culture medium. Three pairs (six
matched corneas) were left in the transport medium for 24 h prior to the
microkeratome cut. Two pairs (four matched corneas) were left in the transport
medium for 48 h prior to the microkeratome cut. All cuts were performed using a
300 (four eyes) or 350 (six eyes) microns head. A vital dye assay (alizarin red
S and trypan blue) was used to identify devitalized and necrotic endothelial
cells.   Results: In all matched cases, there was no difference between the
endothelial cell appearance with or without the anterior corneal lamella. In all
cases, there was no evidence for trypan blue stained cells beyond that normally
seen on acceptable transplantable corneas and there was no evidence of loss of
cells or any lifting of Descemet's membrane.   Conclusions: There is no
difference between the quality of the donor endothelial cell appearance with
ALCT-on or -off when the donor cornea is stored using the organ-culture system
of corneal storage. Organ-culture storage system is a safe and effective system
in regard to preparation and transport of donor lenticules for DSAEK.

PMID: 22251400  [PubMed - in process]

8: Curr Eye Res. 2012 Feb;37(2):138-44. 

Effects of supplemental erythropoietin on its receptor expression and signal
transduction pathways in rat model of retinal detachment.

Xie Z, Chen F, Wu X, Zhuang C, Zhu J, Wang J, Ji H, Wang Y, Hua X.

Department of Ophthalmology, Clinical Medicine School, Yangzhou University , 
Subei People's Hospital of Jiangsu Province, Yangzhou ,  China.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of supplemental
erythropoietin (EPO) on its receptor (EPOR) and signal transduction pathways in
rat model of retinal detachment (RD).   Methods: To investigate the effect of
EPO on EPOR expression in RD rats 100, 200 or 400 ng EPO was injected into the
vitreous cavity immediately after RD model was induced. Western blot and
immunohistochemistry analyses were performed to measure EPOR expression. To
investigate the effect of EPO on signal transduction pathways in RD rats single
dose of 400 ng EPO was injected into the vitreous cavity immediately after RD
model was induced. The total and phosphorylated levels of JAK2, Akt, ERK-1/2,
STAT5 and NF-kappaB were assessed by western blot.   Results: Western blot
analysis showed that, compared with the normal control group, EPOR expression in
the neurosensory retina was significantly increased in experimental RD groups (P
< 0.05), but the differences were not significant between experimental RD groups
(P > 0.05). Immunohistochemical examination indicated that EPOR staining on
retinas became strongly positive 3 days after RD, with no significant difference
in staining intensities between the treatment groups. Phosphorylated levels of
JAK2, Akt, ERK-1/2, STAT5, and NF-kappaB were enhanced 3 days after RD, but only
JAK2, Akt, and ERK-1/2 phosphorylation was further enhanced by 400 ng EPO
treatment (P < 0.05).   Conclusions: Supplementary EPO cannot affect EPOR
expression in detached retina, but EPO may activate both PI-3K/Akt and
MAPK/ERK-1/2 signal transduction pathways in RD model.

PMID: 22251399  [PubMed - in process]