Pseudomonas aeruginosa quorum-sensing signal molecules induce IL-8 production by human corneal epithelial cells.

Objectives: The aim of the present study was to evaluate whether the quorum-sensing molecules of Pseudomonas aeruginosa could induce the production of interleukin-8 (IL-8) in human corneal epithelial (HCE) cells in vitro.

Methods: A confluent monolayer of immortalized HCE cells was treated with 12.5 to 50 microM n-(3-oxododecanoyl)-L-homoserine lactone (OdDHL) or n-butanoyl-L-homoserine lactone (BHL) for 18 hours, or challenged with a wild-type P.

Fimbrolide-coated antimicrobial lenses: their in vitro and in vivo effects.

Purpose: To examine the ability of contact lenses coated with fimbrolides, inhibitors of bacterial quorum sensing, to prevent microbial adhesion and their safety during short-term clinical assessment.

Methods: A fimbrolide was covalently attached to commercially available high Dk contact lenses. Subsequently Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, Serratia marcescens, or Acanthamoeba sp.

IgE antibody on worn highly oxygen-permeable silicone hydrogel contact lenses from patients with contact lens-induced papillary conjunctivitis (CLPC).

Purpose: To investigate whether the level of IgE is increased in the eyes of patients during general contact lens-induced papillary conjunctivitis (CLPC) events, which involve enlarged papillae across the entire palpebral conjunctiva, or local CLPC events, in which papillae are confined to one or two parts of the area.

Methods: Worn contact lenses were collected and soaked in phosphate-buffered saline. The levels of eluted IgE and IgE retained on contact lenses were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.

Staphylococcus aureus ocular isolates from symptomatic adverse events: antibiotic resistance and similarity of bacteria causing adverse events.

Background: Staphylococcus is the leading cause of microbial keratitis. Staphylococcus aureus isolated from ocular infections with resistance to a wide range of antibiotics, including the commonly prescribed fluoroquinolones, is emerging. The aim of this study was to determine the current antibiotic susceptibilities of ocular S.

Intrinsic protein fluorescence interferes with detection of tear glycoproteins in SDS-polyacrylamide gels using extrinsic fluorescent dyes.

Intrinsic protein fluorescence may interfere with the visualization of proteins after SDS-polyacrylamide electrophoresis. In an attempt to analyze tear glycoproteins in gels, we ran tear samples and stained the proteins with a glycoprotein-specific fluorescent dye. The fluorescence detected was not limited to glycoproteins.

Proteomic analysis of dog tears for potential cancer markers.

The first reference map of the proteome of pooled normal dog tears was created using 2-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and the identity of a number of the major species determined using matrix-assisted laser desorption time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF) and peptide mass fingerprint matching on protein sequence databases. In order to understand the changes in protein expression in the tear film of dogs with cancer, tears from such animals were similarly examined. A number of differences were found between the tears of healthy dogs and the dogs with cancer.

Complications associated with care product use during silicone daily wear of hydrogel contact lens.

Increased use of silicone hydrogel contact lenses for daily wear has necessitated a parallel rise in the use of multipurpose care solutions (MPS). This in turn has been accompanied by substantially more reports of solution related complications, in particular corneal staining and low grade infiltrates. Management of these problems involves reducing the impact of care system components on the ocular surface.

New strategies to prevent Pseudomonas keratitis.

Purpose: To review the options for preventing the development of microbial keratitis during contact lens wear.

Methods: A sequence of events that result in the production of microbial keratitis is presented. A review of published material was conducted using key words such as antimicrobial, silver, antibiotic, antibacterial, and contact lens(es).

Broad spectrum of antibacterial activity of a new multipurpose disinfecting solution.

Purpose: Contact lens-related corneal infection and inflammation have been associated with microbial contamination of the contact lens or contact lens storage case. Antimicrobial performance of contact lens disinfection systems is an important factor in reducing contamination. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the antimicrobial efficacy of a new multipurpose disinfecting solution (MPDS), preserved with 0.

Argemone mexicana decoction for the treatment of uncomplicated falciparum malaria.

A prospective, dose-escalating, quasi-experimental clinical trial was conducted with a traditional healer using a decoction of Argemone mexicana for the treatment of malaria in Mali. The remedy was prescribed in three regimens: once daily for 3 days (Group A; n=23); twice daily for 7 days (Group B; n=40); and four times daily for the first 4 days followed by twice daily for 3 days (Group C; n=17). Thus, 80 patients were included, of whom 80% were aged<5 years and 25% were aged<1 year.

Ethnopharmacology and malaria: new hypothetical leads or old efficient antimalarials?

New treatments are urgently needed to curb and eradicate malaria in developing countries. As most people living in malarial endemic areas use traditional medicine to fight this disease, why have new treatments not emerged recently from ethnopharmacology-oriented research? The rationale and limitations of the ethnopharmacological approach are discussed in this paper, focusing on ethnopharmacology methodologies and techniques used for assessing botanical samples for their antimalarial properties. Discrepancies often observed between strong ethnopharmacological reputation and laboratory results are discussed, as well as new research perspectives.

A critical role for CCL2 and CCL3 chemokines in the regulation of polymorphonuclear neutrophils recruitment during corneal infection in mice.

While the role of CC chemokines in mononuclear cell trafficking and activation has been well studied, the functional role of CC chemokines in the regulation of polymorphonuclear neutrophil (PMN) recruitment in vivo has not been widely examined. Bacterial infection of the cornea (keratitis) is a relatively common, sometimes sight-threatening disease, which features acute inflammation with ulceration and PMN infiltration. Here, we demonstrate a critical role for the chemokines, CCL2 and CCL3, in the Pseudomonas aeruginosa-induced model of corneal infection in BALB/c mice.

Efficacy of contact lens multipurpose solutions against serratia marcescens.

Purpose: To compare the susceptibilities of clinical isolates of Serratia marcescens and the standard ISO ATCC 13880 strain to five contact lens multipurpose disinfection solutions (MPDSs).

Methods: Five commercially available MPDSs, containing either a polymeric biguanide or polyquaternium, were tested using ISO/CD 14729 stand-alone test for contact lens care products against four ocular isolates of S. marcescens and the strain ATCC 13880.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection and inflammation during contact lens wear: a review.

Infection and inflammation during contact lens wear is often associated with microbial contamination of lenses. Several different types of microbes that colonize lenses can lead to infection and inflammation, but the most common cause of infection (microbial keratitis; MK) remains the Gram-negative bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa. P.

Phenotypic characterization of clonal and nonclonal Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains isolated from lungs of adults with cystic fibrosis.

The emergence of virulent Pseudomonas aeruginosa clones is a threat to cystic fibrosis (CF) patients globally. Characterization of clonal P. aeruginosa strains is critical for an understanding of its clinical impact and developing strategies to meet this problem.

The corneal response to infection with Staphylococcus aureus in the absence of interleukin-4.

Interleukin-4 (IL-4) has previously been implicated in a protective response to Staphylococcus aureus corneal infection. Consequently, the specific role of IL-4 during S. aureus corneal infection was investigated using IL-4 gene knockout mice.

Carboxymethylcellulose binds to human corneal epithelial cells and is a modulator of corneal epithelial wound healing.

Purpose: In this study, the ability of carboxymethylcellulose (CMC), used in artificial tear formulations, to interact with corneal-epithelial-cells (HCECs) and facilitate corneal epithelial wound healing was investigated.

Methods: HCECs were incubated with fluorescein-labeled CMC (F-CMC). CMC-epithelial binding was measured by spectrophotometry.

Effects of topical administration of 12-methyl tetradecanoic acid (12-MTA) on the development of corneal angiogenesis.

Corneal vascularisation is a potentially devastating occurrence that can cause blindness. Currently, treatments for this condition are limited. In these studies, we have investigated a novel inhibitor of angiogenesis, 12-methyl tetradecanoic acid (12-MTA), to treat corneal vascularisation in mouse models of corneal alkali injury and corneal Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection.

The induction and suppression of the apoptotic response of HSV-1 in human corneal epithelial cells.

Purpose: HSV-1 has been shown to block apoptosis in some cell lines when the cells are exposed to exogenous agents (e.g., sorbitol).

Quorum-sensing regulation of adhesion in Serratia marcescens MG1 is surface dependent.

Serratia marcescens is an opportunistic pathogen and a major cause of ocular infections. In previous studies of S. marcescens MG1, we showed that biofilm maturation and sloughing were regulated by N-acyl homoserine lactone (AHL)-based quorum sensing (QS).

Protease IV production in Pseudomonas aeruginosa from the lungs of adults with cystic fibrosis.

Protease IV is important in the pathogenesis of Pseudomonas aeruginosa-induced microbial keratitis, but little is known of its role in cystic fibrosis (CF) lung infection. In this study protease IV production was examined in 43 P. aeruginosa isolates (24 non-clonal and 19 clonal) from the lungs of chronically infected adult patients attending the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital CF Clinic, Sydney, Australia.

A protective role for IL-6 in staphylococcal microbial keratitis.

Purpose: To determine whether interleukin-6 (IL-6) plays a protective role in Staphylococcus aureus keratitis in a gene knockout (gko) mouse model and to determine whether IL-6 may be used as a therapy to modulate host responses and control bacterial infection, thereby reducing scarring.

Methods: The eyes of IL-6 gko mice and wild-type mice were challenged topically with S. aureus and examined at 24 hours after infection.

The role of CXC chemokine receptor 2 in Pseudomonas aeruginosa corneal infection.

Pseudomonas is one of the leading causes of contact lens-related microbial keratitis. Despite the use of antibiotics, the host inflammatory response continues to cause damage to the cornea, which may lead to blindness. CXCR2-binding chemokines have been implicated in the pathogenesis of Pseudomonas keratitis, and the exact role of this receptor remains to be elucidated.

Salicylic acid reduces the production of several potential virulence factors of Pseudomonas aeruginosa associated with microbial keratitis.

Purpose: Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a common cause of contact-lens-related microbial keratitis. This bacterium is becoming increasingly resistant to antibiotics, and even if the infection can be treated with antibiotics, damage to the cornea resulting from the combined effect of bacteria and host factors can lead to loss of vision. The purpose of this study was to test the effect of salicylic acid on the production of potential virulence factors during the growth of P.