Corneal endothelial cell reduction and increased Neurokinin-1 receptor expression in a graft-versus-host disease preclinical model.

The aim of this work was to assess corneal endothelial morphology in a well-established acute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) murine model and to quantify the expression of neurokinin-1 receptor (NK1R) in the corneal endothelium during ocular GVHD (oGVHD). Pre-conditioning was performed in BALB/c using myeloablative total body irradiation. Subsequently, allogeneic bone marrow transplantation was performed without (BM) or with mature T cells (BM + T). Corneal transparency was monitored with in vivo biomicroscopy. After sacrifice, corneal thickness and endothelial cell number were measured, and the expression of NK1R was investigated in the corneal endothelium through immunofluorescence and quantified by immunohistochemistry. Mice presenting oGVHD showed a significant reduction in endothelial cell number compared to control animals (p < 0.0001). NK1R expression was significantly increased in oGVHD mice endothelium (p < 0.05). Corneal transparency and thickness were unchanged in all groups. Our results suggest that oGVHD affects the corneal endothelium, inducing a reduction of the cell number, and that this is associated with increased expression of the pro-inflammatory marker NK1R.

Outcomes of Nonpenetrating Versus Penetrating Deep Sclerectomy in Open Angle Glaucoma.

PRCIS: In this retrospective study, nonpenetrating deep sclerectomy (NPDS) and penetrating deep sclerectomy (PDS) interventions showed similar >90% complete success rates at 1-year postsurgery. However, NPDS achieved a superior safety profile in terms of best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) recovery and rates of post-surgical complications. OBJECTIVE: Comparing the surgical outcomes of 2 surgical techniques: NPDS and PDS. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This was a retrospective, longitudinal, comparative study including 66 eyes from 57 patients aged 69 ± 9 years who underwent either NPDS or PDS for medically uncontrolled open angle glaucoma. Outcome measurements included intraocular pressure (IOP), BCVA, rates of complications, postoperative corrective interventions, and glaucoma medications at baseline and at all postoperative appointments up to 1 year. An exploratory mixed-effect model was used to assess the intergroup differences between IOP and BCVA. RESULTS: One-year postsurgery, a similar significant IOP reduction from baseline was observed in NPDS (from 19.9 ± 1.3 to 11.5 ± 0.9 mm Hg, P < 0.001) and PDS (from 19.5 ± 1.1 to 10.7 ± 0.6 mm Hg, P < 0.001). A conservative complete success rate (defined as medicated IOP ≤16 mm Hg and ≥20% reduction in IOP) was 87% for NPDS and 97% for PDS. No BCVA changes were observed between baseline and 1-year postsurgery in both groups, and glaucoma medications showed a similar 10-fold reduction in both groups ( P < 0.001 vs baseline). However, a significant difference in the speed of postoperative BVCA recovery was observed between NPDS and PDS ( P < 0.01), with NPDS showing a faster recovery. Moreover, lower numbers of postsurgical complications and postoperative interventions were observed after NPDS compared with PDS [NPDS, n = 30 and 34 vs PDS, n = 80 and 48 ( P < 0.05), respectively]. CONCLUSIONS: The present study confirmed that both NPDS and PDS are highly effective surgical interventions for the management of primary open angle glaucoma. However, NPDS had a superior safety profile in terms of BCVA recovery, complication rates, and postoperative interventions.