Urokinase-type plasminogen activator promotes corneal epithelial migration and nerve regeneration.

Urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA) is a serine protease that plays a central role in the pericellular fibrinolytic system, mediates the degradation of extracellular matrix proteins and activation of growth factors, and contributes to the regulation of various cellular processes including cell migration and adhesion, chemotaxis, and angiogenesis. The corneal epithelium responds rapidly to injury by initiating a wound healing process that involves cell migration, cell proliferation, and tissue remodeling. It is innervated by sensory nerve endings that play an important role in the maintenance of corneal epithelial homeostasis and in the wound healing response.

Urokinase-type plasminogen activator negatively regulates α-smooth muscle actin expression via Endo180 and the uPA receptor in corneal fibroblasts.

Corneal fibroblasts are embedded within an extracellular matrix composed largely of collagen type 1, proteoglycans, and other proteins in the corneal stroma, and their morphology and function are subject to continuous regulation by collagen. During wound healing and in various pathological conditions, corneal fibroblasts differentiate into myofibroblasts characterized by the expression of α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA). Endo180, also known as urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA) receptor-associated protein (uPARAP), is a collagen receptor.

Multicenter prospective observational study of fungal keratitis in Japan: analyses of in vitro susceptibility tests for combinations of drugs.

Purpose: To determine the effects of a combination of two antifungal drugs against causative fungi of fungal keratitis in Japan.

Study Design: Multicenter prospective observational study.

Methods: Eighteen isolates of yeast-like fungi and 22 isolates of filamentous fungi collected by the Multicenter Prospective Observational Study of Fungal Keratitis in Japan were studied.

Multicenter prospective observational study of fungal keratitis in Japan: analyses of culture-positive cases.

Purpose: To investigate the clinical characteristics and causative fungi in patients with fungal keratitis in Japan, and to determine factors related to the prognosis.

Study Design: Multicenter prospective observational study.

Methods: Eligible patients were enrolled from November 2011 to October 2013 at the 1st stage and from April 2015 to March 2016 at the 2nd stage.

Severe Ocular Complications Associated With Wearing of Contact Lens in Japan.

Objectives: To examine the severe ocular complications associated with contact lens wearing in Japan.

Method: A questionnaire was sent to 964 ophthalmologist training facilities inquiring for cases of contact lens-associated complications from April 2016 to March 2018. The inclusion criteria were as follows: (1) corrected distance visual acuity ≤0.

Short-term Interim Results of Clinical Outcomes and Complications After Implantation of Boston Keratoprosthesis in Japanese Patients.

Keratoprosthesis is used for corneal transplantation in high-risk patients who require penetrating keratoplasty (PKP). Boston keratoprosthesis (BKpro) is a representative type of keratoprosthesis used worldwide. In Japan, the first BKpro was implanted in an eye after multiple corneal graft failures in 2008, but its use remains limited.

Corneal Perforation during Combination Chemotherapy including Cetuximab in a Patient with a History of Herpetic Keratitis.

Purpose: To report a case of corneal perforation, in a patient with a history of herpetic keratitis, during combination chemotherapy including cetuximab.

Case: We report the case of a 71-year-old man who was diagnosed with a hypopharyngeal carcinoma and received radiation therapy combined with cetuximab, the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) inhibitor monoclonal antibody. He was referred to us because of ocular hyperemia and corneal perforation in his left eye.

Microsporidial keratitis retrospectively diagnosed by ultrastructural study of formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded corneal tissue: a case report.

Background: The utility of formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) corneal tissue specimens for retrospective diagnosis of microsporidial keratitis was evaluated by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analysis and the possible second case of microsporidial keratitis after Descemet stripping automated endothelial keratoplasty (DSAEK) was described.

Case Presentation: A 68-year-old man presented with multiple crystalline opacities in the corneal stroma that progressed extremely slowly after DSAEK. Fungiflora Y staining of corneal scrapings from the affected regions revealed an oval microorganism.

Neurotrophic Keratopathy after Trigeminal Nerve Block for Treatment of Postherpetic Neuralgia.

Purpose: To report a case of persistent corneal epithelial defect that had occurred after a trigeminal nerve block.

Case Presentation: A 75-year-old female had suffered from postherpetic neuralgia for 8 years. She underwent Gasserian ganglion block surgery and noticed declining visual acuity in the right eye on the following day.

Spontaneous reattachment of dislocated endothelial graft after non-Descemet stripping automated endothelial keratoplasty: a case report.

Background: Graft detachment is a complication of non-Descemet stripping automated endothelial keratoplasty (nDSAEK). We report a case of spontaneous reattachment of an extensively dislocated graft after nDSAEK.

Case Presentation: A 54-year-old male underwent penetrating keratoplasty (PKP) for keratoconus in his left eye in 2001.

Diagnostic Approach to Ocular Infections Using Various Techniques From Conventional Culture to Next-Generation Sequencing Analysis.

Ocular infection is caused by both endogenous (resident) and exogenous (environmental) microbes. As the ocular surface interacts with both outer environment and its own resident microbiota, clinical ocular samples are predicted to contain a diverse set of microorganisms. Microscopy of sample smears is an important step in the diagnostic process of infectious diseases to interpret the culture results.

Regulatory Mechanism of Collagen Degradation by Keratocytes and Corneal Inflammation: The Role of Urokinase-Type Plasminogen Activator.

Keratocytes, corneal resident cells in the corneal stroma, exist between collagen lamellae and maintain the corneal stromal structure. When the corneal stroma is damaged, keratocytes are transformed to myofibroblasts to aid corneal wound healing by phagocytizing debris. Keratocytes and extracellular collagen influence each other because keratocytes cultured in a 3D collagen gel undergo morphological changes and keratocytes produce metalloproteases that degrade extracellular collagen.

Intraoperative optical coherence tomography (RESCAN 700) for detecting iris incarceration and iridocorneal adhesion during keratoplasty.

There is no report focusing on the visualization of the iris incarceration or the iridocorneal adhesion during keratoplasty by use of microscope-integrated intraoperative optical coherence tomography (MIOCT). The purpose of this study is to report the usefulness of MIOCT for detecting iris incarceration and iridocorneal adhesions during penetrating keratoplasty (PK) and deep anterior lamellar keratoplasty (DALK). MIOCT system was applied both in a patient who underwent PK for corneal leukoma and in a patient who underwent DALK for keratoconus.

Cosmetic Cleansing Oil Absorption by Soft Contact Lenses in Dry and Wet Conditions.

Objectives: Previous reports showed that cosmetic cleansing oil for removing makeup, which contains mineral oil and surfactant, can deform some silicone hydrogel contact lenses (SHCLs) when applied directly to the lenses, although plasma-coated SHCLs (lotrafilcon A and B) were not affected. In the present study, we investigated hydrogel lenses and SHCLs in both wet and dry conditions.

Methods: Several brands of hydrogel and SHCLs were immersed in a cleansing oil solution containing Sudan Black B for 5 min under wet and dry conditions.

[Multicenter Prospective Observational Study of Fungal Keratitis--Current Status of Patients' Background, Clinical Findings, Treatment and Prognosis].

Purpose: To investigate the current status of fungal keratitis in Japan.

Methods: The patients with fungal keratitis were examined at 27 facilities in Japan from November 1st 2011 to October 31st 2013, concerning isolates, patient background, clinical findings, treatment and prognosis.

Results: Out of 139 cases, 133 were diagnosed as fungal keratitis, of which fungi were isolated from 72 samples of 71 cases (yeast-like fungi 32 strains and filamentous fungi 40 strains).

Effects of antiviral medications on herpetic epithelial keratitis in mice.

Purpose: Aciclovir (ACV), valaciclovir (VACV) and famciclovir (FCV) are used for systemic infections caused by herpes virus. In Japan, only topical ACV is permitted for use against herpetic keratitis. We investigated the effectiveness of topical ACV, oral VACV and oral FCV on mouse epithelial herpetic keratitis.

Virological and molecular biological evidence supporting herpes simplex virus type 1 corneal latency.

Purpose: Trigeminal and other ganglia are known as sites of latent infection by herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1). In ophthalmology, HSV-1 remains latent in the trigeminal ganglia, and becomes reactivated by several factors, including stress, thermal stimulation, or immunosuppression, and may lead to herpetic keratitis. The purpose of this study was to demonstrate HSV corneal latent infection using molecular biology and virology techniques.

[The effect on the shape of color soft contact lens caused by pigments].

Purpose: To investigate the effect of the pigments in colored soft contact lenses (SCLs) on their shape and physical properties.

Methods: To make a comparison between clear SCLs and colored ones, we used SCLs made of the same materials and the same size and power, and are approved by the Japanese government. The shapes were evaluated in a saline solution by using a CL image viewer, and the sagittal depth was measured.

Vancomycin Ophthalmic Ointment 1% for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus or methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus epidermidis infections: a case series.

Objectives: To investigate the efficacy and safety of Vancomycin Ophthalmic Ointment 1% (Toa Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd, Toyama, Japan) in patients with external ocular infections caused by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) or methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus epidermidis (MRSE).

Design: A case series.

Immunohistochemical localization of urokinase-type plasminogen activator, urokinase-type plasminogen activator receptor and α2-antiplasmin in human corneal perforation: a case report.

Background: Corneal ulceration leading to perforation is associated with infectious and non-infectious destructive conditions in the cornea. The fibrinolytic (plasminogen/plasmin) system is considered to contribute to tissue remodeling in the wound healing process and it is believed to play an important role in proteolysis and fibrosis. To determine the localization of urokinase-type plasminogen activator (u-PA), u-PA receptor (u-PAR) and α2-antiplasmin (α2AP) in the tissue of a corneal perforation, we investigated immunohistochemical expressions of u-PA, u-PAR, α2AP, CD68, and α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) in a patient with corneal perforation that developed from an ulcer of no clear cause.