Hepatitis C-associated peripheral corneal ulceration: rapid response to intravenous steroids.

Purpose: We present a case of peripheral corneal ulceration in a patient with hepatitis C, which rapidly and dramatically responded to intravenous steroid treatment.

Methods: Clinical examination and photographs were obtained to document initial presentation and therapeutic response of Mooren's-type ulcers to steroids.

Results: Bilateral peripheral corneal ulceration with documented progression responded to intravenous administration of steroids within 5 days.

Gelatinase B and A expression after laser in situ keratomileusis and photorefractive keratectomy.

Objective: To compare the expression of gelatinases in the corneal epithelium and stroma after laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) and photorefractive keratectomy (PRK).

Methods: Rabbit eyes were treated with LASIK (n=11), PRK (n=12), or corneal flap construction (n=12); 4 eyes served as unwounded controls. Zymography was performed on the central epithelium and the stroma 1, 3, and 7 days after surgery to determine the expression of gelatinases.

Colchicine down-regulates lipopolysaccharide-induced granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor production in murine macrophages.

Activation of macrophages by LPS and taxol results in production of IL-1, IL-6, TNF-alpha, and granulocyte-macrophage CSF (GM-CSF), which are involved in regulating hemopoiesis, inflammation, and immune responses. Microtubules are proposed as a target site for LPS interaction(s), based on similarities between the effects of the tubulin-binding drug taxol and LPS. To clarify the role of microtubules in LPS-induced GM-CSF expression in macrophages, we examined whether microtubule depolymerizing agents affect GM-CSF production in macrophages.

IL-6 induction of protein-DNA complexes via a novel regulatory region of the inducible nitric oxide synthase gene promoter: role of octamer binding proteins.

Macrophage inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) catalyzes the synthesis of NO. IL-6-stimulated macrophage differentiation of murine myeloid M1 cells is accompanied by iNOS gene induction and steady-state mRNA expression. Two regions within the iNOS promoter mediate transcriptional responsiveness to LPS and IFN-gamma.