Serum Maresin 1 levels in idiopathic acute anterior uveitis patients.

PURPOSE: The purpose of the present study is to assess the levels of Maresin 1 (MaR1) in patients with idiopathic acute anterior uveitis (IAAU) and to compare the MaR1 results with healthy controls. METHODS: This study includes 24 patients with idiopathic AAU and 24 healty controls (C). The serum MaR1 levels were analyzed using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA). The erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels were measured at the time of diagnosis. RESULTS: MaR1 levels were statistically significant when the IAAU group was compared with group C (P<0.001). When idiopathic AAU patients were compared with group C, no statistically significant difference was found between ESR and CRP levels (P=0.086, P=0.549 respectively). CONCLUSION: Serum MaR1 levels are an important biomarker of disease in patients with idiopathic AAU.

Laboratory evidence on a direct correlation between acute central serous chorioretinopathy and tenascin C, metalloprotein 1, BAX, BCL2, subfatin and asprosin.

PURPOSE: Central serous chorioretinopathy (CSCR) is an eye disease of unknown etiology that presents with reduced visual acuity, choroidal thickening (distance between Bruch's membrane and the chorioscleral border), and subretinal fluid leakage. In the present study, the goal was to investigate the role of the interrelated tenascin C, metalloprotein-1, BAX, BCL2, subfatin and asprosin molecules in the pathogenesis of CSCR. METHOD: Thirty CSCR patients and 30 controls were included. CSCR was diagnosed by optical coherence tomography imaging. A 5mL blood sample was collected from all participants after overnight fasting. Compounds in the blood samples were studied with the Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) method. RESULTS: Patients with CSCR were found to have macular thickening (P: 0.08) and statistically significantly reduced visual acuity (P: 0.034) compared to controls. With regard to serum parameters, there were statistically significant increases in tenascin C, metalloprotein-1, BAX, BCL2, subfatin and asprosin levels compared to controls. We found a positive correlation between macular thickness and tenascin C (r+0.670, P<0.001), metaloprotein-1 (r+0.714, P<0.001), BAX, BCL2 (r+0.771, P<0.001), subfatin and asprosin levels and a negative correlation between visual acuity and tenascin C (r+0.605 P<0.001), metaloprotein-1 (r+0.704, P<0.001), BAX, BCL2 (r+0.738, P<0.001), subfatin and asprosin levels. CONCLUSION: The molecules studied herein were negatively correlated with visual acuity and positively correlated with macular thickness, suggesting that these molecules might have a role in the pathogenesis of CSCR. Thus, we predict that these molecules could be new candidates for the diagnosis and follow-up of CSCR in the future.

Plasma dopamine and catecholamine levels in patients with central serous chorioretinopathy.

PURPOSE: To evaluate plasma dopamine and catecholamine levels in patients with central serous chorioretinopathy (CSCR). MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this prospective study, 32 patients with acute CSCR were included, along with 32 age- and gender-matched healthy controls without CSCR. Complete ophthalmologic examinations were performed. Plasma dopamine, epinephrine, norepinephrine levels were measured in the morning after 8-12hours of fasting. A P-value of less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS: While the mean age of the CSCR group was 40.12±7.96 years, the mean age of the control group was 37.81±7.26 years. There was no statistically significant difference between the groups in terms of age or gender (P=0.229, P=0.740, respectively). The plasma dopamine level was 29.85±9.39pg/ml in the CSCR group and 23.93±7.33pg/ml in the control group (P=0.001). The plasma epinephrine level was 60.73±25.69pg/ml in the CSCR group and 45.77±18.55pg/ml in the control group (P=0.021). The plasma norepinephrine level was 206.68±71.51pg/ml in the CSCR group and 149.33±49.69pg/ml in the control group (P=0.001). Plasma dopamine, epinephrine, and norepinephrine levels were statistically significantly higher in the CSCR group. CONCLUSION: We concluded that dopamine may be a possible factor in the etiology of CSCR, both through its receptors and by enhancing sympathetic activity.

Plasma cerebellin levels in patients with central serous chorioretinopathy.

PURPOSE: To evaluate levels of plasma cerebellin, cortisol, adrenaline and noradrenaline in patients with central serous chorioretinopathy (CSC). MATERIALS AND METHODS: This prospective study included 30 patients diagnosed with acute CSC (Group 1) and a control group of 30 age-matched, healthy subjects without CSC (Group 2). Levels of plasma cerebellin, cortisol, adrenaline and noradrenaline were examined in blood samples taken after 8-12hours of fasting. A value of p<0.05 was considered statistically significant in the comparative analyses. RESULTS: The mean plasma cerebellin level was found to be 232.56±113.28 pg/ml in Group 1 and 174.07±82.04 pg/ml in Group 2 (p=0.02). Mean plasma cortisol was 13.19±3.87µg/ml in Group 1 and 9.55±2.92µg/ml in Group 2 (p<0.01). Mean plasma adrenaline was 60.62±26.67 pg/ml in Group 1 and 46.17±19.20 pg/ml in Group 2 (p=0.03). Mean plasma noradrenaline was 206.66±73.90 pg/ml in Group 1 and 149.96±51.36 pg/ml in Group 2 (p<0.01). CONCLUSION: It can be concluded that increased cerebellin may have a role in the etiology of CSC by increasing catecholamine expression from the adrenal medulla and indirectly by increasing cortisol levels via a paracrine effect from the adrenal cortex.

Trimetazidine for prevention of induced ischemia and reperfusion of guinea pig retina.

OBJECTIVE: Trimetazidine (TMZ) has been used to protect against ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury of many tissues. We aimed to evaluate the effect of TMZ during retinal I/R in a guinea pig model. STUDY DESIGN/PATIENTS AND METHODS: An experimental study in retinal I/R. Three groups of five guinea pigs were studied to include a control, placebo, and drug test groups. Prior to the application of 90 minutes of high intraocular pressure (IOP) to induce retinal ischemia followed by 24 hours of reperfusion, we applied intraperitoneal saline to the placebo group and 3 mg/kg of TMZ for the drug test group and repeated the injections at intervals of six hours for four cycles. Both eyes of the animals were enucleated at the end of the reperfusion period. Biochemical assay and histopathologic evaluation was performed on one randomly selected eye of each animal. The level of retinal-free malondialdehyde (MDA) and retinal layer thicknesses were determined and comparisons were then made with the control group. RESULTS: The mean free MDA level increased in the placebo group (P = 0.006) but not in the drug group (P > 0.05). We observed polymorphonucleated leukocyte infiltration, retinal edema and hydropic degeneration in the retina of the placebo group. However, significant histopathologic change was not observed in specimens of the drug group. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests TMZ has a beneficial effect on retinal lipid peroxidation and histopathologic changes due to I/R injury.