Objective: To investigate the expression of amyloid precursor protein (APP) and amyloid beta (Aβ) in cornea and further explore the pathological and ultrastructural changes in corneal epithelium in APPswePS1 transgenic mice.
Methods: Twelve wild type mice were grouped into control group and twelve TgAPPswePS1 mice at least 8 months old were grouped into the young experiment group (Tg-8M group), and another twelve transgenic mice at least 15 months old were selected into the aged experiment group (Tg-15M group). The pathological degeneration, ultrastructural changes, and the expression of APP, Aβ deposition, and the TUNEL reaction in corneal epithelial cells were observed. Western blot analysis was performed to determine expression levels of APP and Aβ with scraped epithelial debridement. All the results were quantified and analyzed.
Results: In transgenic mice, the H&E-stained cornea sections demonstrated histopathological changes in corneal epithelial cells with irregular arrangement and the number of cell layers decreased, while normal structure observed in controls. In Tg-15M group, the corneal epithelial cell displaced a significant number of intracellular vacuoles with 1-2 cell layers left. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) further confirmed the dramatic degeneration in corneal epithelium, the microvilli suffered degenerative changes and found with typical fingerpoint-like morphology in controls; however, microspike-like in Tg-15M group, and the number of microvilli decreased considerabely. An APP-positive immunoreaction was detected with a diffuse pattern in the corneal epithelial cells layer, about 3.122 ± 0.596 and 7.372 ± 0.936 fold changes in Tg-8M and Tg-15M groups, respectively, as compared with controls. On corneal flatmount, Aβ deposition found a diffuse pattern in the cytoplasm by fluorescence staining in TgAPPswePS1 with significantly increasing as compared with the controls, but no plaque was found. The apoptosis of TUNEL cells were observed in TgAPPswePS1 mice and increased 16.329 ± 3.542 fold changes in Tg-15M group as compared with controls.
Conclusion: The APP expression and Aβ deposition might cause cornea epithelial cells degeneration in TgAPPswePS1 mice, associated with apoptosis in basal lamina cells.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/02713683.2018.1501070 | DOI Listing |
Cell Tissue Bank
January 2025
Academic Ophthalmology, Mental Health and Clinical Neurosciences, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK.
Globally there is a shortage of available donor corneas with only 1 cornea available for every 70 needed. A large limitation to corneal transplant surgery is access to quality donor tissue due to inadequate eye donation services and infrastructure in many countries, compounded by the fact that there are few available long-term storage solutions for effectively preserving spare donor corneas collected in countries with a surplus. In this study, we describe a novel technology termed low-temperature vacuum evaporation (LTVE) that can effectively dry-preserve surplus donor corneal tissue, allowing it to be stored for approximately 5 years, shipped at room temperature, and stored on hospital shelves before rehydration prior to ophthalmic surgery.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Cyst Fibros
January 2025
Pulmonology Department, Regional University Hospital of Malaga, Department of Medicine and Dermatology, University of Malaga, Biomedical Research Institute of Malaga (IBIMA) - Bionand Platform, Malaga, Spain. Electronic address:
Background: Cystic fibrosis (CF) is caused by variants in a gene that encodes a protein essential for water and ion transport in the epithelial cells of exocrine organs. Given the possible relationship of this protein and conjunctival and corneal epithelium, the aim of this study was to evaluate ophthalmologic alterations in people with CF.
Methods: Forty-five people with CF underwent pulmonary evaluation including inflammatory score (IS).
Cornea
November 2024
Tennent Institute of Ophthalmology, Gartnavel General Hospital, Glasgow, United Kingdom.
Purpose: We demonstrate a novel approach for the definitive treatment of Lisch epithelial corneal dystrophy via an unintentionally staged alcohol keratectomy and intentionally targeted minor limbal excision with cautery.
Methods: A 46-year-old woman presented with visually significant corneal changes, suspected to be Lisch epithelial corneal dystrophy after clinical examination, anterior segment optical coherence tomography, and confocal microscopy. Alcohol keratectomy was performed with complete resolution, but there was visually significant recurrence at 2 years.
BMC Ophthalmol
January 2025
Fudan University Eye Ear Nose and Throat Hospital, Shanghai, China.
Background: To evaluate the biosafety, reduction in anterior capsule opacification, and fluctuation in intraocular pressure (IOP) of a new phakic refractive lens (PRL) with a sinusoidal drainage groove design.
Methods: This self-controlled experiment was performed on eight eyes of four rabbits. Each rabbit was implanted with a sinusoidal PRL (PRL-S5) in the right eye and a conventional posterior chamber PRL (PC-PRL) in the left eye.
J Clin Med
December 2024
Eye Clinic, Department of Neurosciences, Reproductive and Odontostomatological Sciences, Federico II University, 80131 Naples, Italy.
Microvilli are bristle-like protuberances of the plasma membrane, which express the vitality of mucous and epithelial cells; their alteration indicates a condition of cellular suffering in a predictive sense, making it possible to establish how much an inflammatory state or toxic conditions affect cellular functionality. In this article, the authors evaluate the applications of scanning electron microscopy (SEM) examination to impression cytology (IC) of the bulbar conjunctiva for the assessment of microvillar alteration as an early ultrastructural indicator of ocular surface health. This method offers several advantages, starting with its simplicity: it involves the non-invasive application of a strip of bibulous paper to the bulbar or tarsal conjunctiva.
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