Expression of glutamine synthetase and cell proliferation in human idiopathic epiretinal membrane.

BACKGROUND/AIM: The mechanisms of the cellular origin and cell proliferation in the idiopathic epiretinal membrane (ERM) are unsolved. The aim of this study was to examine the expression of cell cycle related molecules and glutamine synthetase (GS), which is expressed in Müller cells and their processes, in ERM tissues. METHODS: The ERMs were surgically removed using pars plana vitrectomy. Formalin fixed, paraffin embedded ERM tissues were analysed by immunohistochemistry with anti-cyclin D1, p27 (KIP1), proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), and GS antibodies. RESULTS: The histopathological findings showed that all the ERMs consisted of oval or spindle mononuclear cells with thin collagen-like tissues. Immunoreactivity for GS was detected in collagen-like tissues of ERM, presenting a continuous, isodense pattern. GS immunopositive cells in all cases expressed PCNA in their nuclei. Nuclear immunoreactivity for cyclin D1 was noted in the ERM constituent cells, whereas p27 (KIP1) positive nuclei were not detected. CONCLUSION: Cyclin D1 and PCNA were expressed in the idiopathic ERM, which was mainly derived from Müller cells and extensions of their processes.

Anthracycline-induced cardiomyopathies evaluated by tissue Doppler tracking system and strain rate imaging.

OBJECTIVES: Anthracycline cardiotoxicity is known to occur from the subendocardial side of the left ventricular wall. Recent advances of tissue Doppler echocardiography may allow the evaluation of anthracycline cardiotoxicity by dividing the left ventricular wall into the subendocardial half and subepicardial half. The present study assessed the feasibility using the tissue Doppler echo tracking system (M-mode) and myocardial strain rate imaging (B-mode) to noninvasively detect anthracycline cardiotoxicity. METHODS: The tissue Doppler echo tracking system (M-mode) was used to measure systolic thickening of the subendocardial layer (delta Endo), subepicardial layer (delta Epi), and whole wall (delta Total) of the left ventricular posterior wall in 41 normal subjects and three groups of patients receiving anthracycline: 34 patients in the low dose group, 19 in the middle dose group, and 12 in the high dose group. Strain rate is the spatial gradient of local velocities, reflecting local compression and expansion rates not affected by overall heart motion. Myocardial strain rate imaging (B-mode) was used in 25 normal subjects, 9 patients in the low dose group, and 10 patients in the high dose group. The ratio of peak systolic strain rate of subendocardium to that of subepicardium (peak strain rate endo/epi), and the ratio of integrated strain rate during ejection time of subendocardium to that of subepicardium (integrated strain rate endo/epi) were measured. RESULTS: Tissue Doppler echo tracking system (M-mode) measurement of delta Endo/delta Epi showed the most distinct difference and the least overlap of the data between normal subjects and patients, whereas delta Total failed to show significant differences. Myocardial strain rate imaging (B-mode) measurement of integrated strain rate endo/epi showed the most distinct difference and the least overlap of the data between normal subjects and patients, but ejection fraction failed to show statistically significant differences. CONCLUSIONS: These methods are highly sensitive tools for monitoring anthracycline cardiotoxicity.

Characteristics of endogenous uveitis in Hokkaido, Japan.

BACKGROUND: Etiological characteristics of endogenous uveitis vary among areas and races around the world. There are few epidemiological reports on the etiology of uveitis from areas within Asia. We report statistical data on uveitis in Japan. METHODS: We reviewed all of the records of patients with endogenous uveitis who visited the Uveitis Survey Clinic of Hokkaido University Hospital in 1981 and 1994 and extended the survey to include new patients with uveitis seen over the 3-year period from 1992 to 1994. RESULTS: Bechcet's disease, sarcoidosis and Vogt-Koy-anagi-Harada disease were the three most frequently diagnosed diseases in both 1981 and 1994. The proportion of patients with unclassified uveitis decreased from 38% to 30% during the 13-year period from 1981 to 1994 as a result of the establishment of new disease categories during this time. Notable additions included human T-lymphotropic virus type 1-associated uveitis and tubuloinerstitial nephritis and uveitis syndrome. Sarcoidosis is now the most frequent endogenous uveitis in our clinic. CONCLUSION: Not only does the etiological basis of uveitis vary among ethnic groups but advances in clinical and basic research have changed the diagnostic approach to uveitis, altering the etiological profile over time.

Characteristics of endogenous uveitis in Hokkaido, Japan.

BACKGROUND: Etiological characteristics of endogenous uveitis vary around the world. There are few epidemiological reports on the etiology of uveitis from areas within Asia. We set out to examine the statistical data on uveitis in Japan. METHODS: We reviewed all the records of patients with endogenous uveitis who visited the Uveitis Survey Clinic of Hokkaido University Hospital in 1981 and 1994 and extended the survey to include new patients with uveitis seen over the past 3 years. RESULTS: Behçet's disease, sarcoidosis and Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada disease were the three most frequently diagnosed diseases in patients with endogenous uveitis in both 1981 and and 1994. The proportion of patients with unclassified disease entities decreased (from 38% to 30%) during the 13-year period from 1981 to 1994 as a result of the new disease categories established during this interval. Notable additions included human T-lymphotropic virus type 1-associated uveitis and tubulointerstitial nephritis and uveitis syndrome. Sarcoidosis is now the most frequent cause of endogenous uveitis in our clinic. CONCLUSION: Not only does the etiological basis of uveitis vary with ethnicity, but advances in clinical and basic research have changed the approach to the diagnosis of uveitis, altering the etiological profile over time.

[MHC and non-MHC gene effects on the development of experimental autoimmune uveoretinitis].

Experimental autoimmune uveoretinitis (EAU) can be induced in rats by interphotoreceptor retinoid-binding protein (IRBP), and served as a model for human uveitis. Using IRBP-derived peptide R16, we investigated the MHC and non-MHC genes' effect on the regulation and susceptibility to EAU. EAU-high susceptible LEW (RT1l), EAU-low susceptible WKAH (RT1k), and WKAH.1L rats which carry RT1l and WKAH background were immunized with 2 nmol of R16. One hundred percent of LEW rats developed EAU and 92.9% of WKAH. 1L rats. Only, 18.8% of WKAH rats developed EAU. Among these strains tested, the severity of EAU was 2.06 in LEW, 1.23 in WKAH.1L, and 0.38 in WKAH. R16 evoked substantial proliferative responses in all these strains. The present data suggest that both MHC and non-MHC genes play distinct roles in development of EAU.

Clinical study on patients with Behçet's disease in Hokkaido.

Behçet's disease is the most frequently encountered form of endogenous uveitis in Japan. The authors examined the clinical manifestations in cases with Behçet's disease over six years (1987-1992), and compared the results with those of a previous study (1978-1983). In the more recent study the number of new patients who visited our clinic was 54, compared to 180 in the previous study. As for the frequencies of the four major symptoms in the recent study, oral aphtha were seen in 100%, skin lesions in 88.9%, ocular lesions in 74.0%, and genital ulcers in 61.1% of the patients. The frequencies of these major symptoms were not significantly different between the two time periods investigated. Analysis of the type of ocular involvement showed that 94.4% of the patients in the more recent study belonged to the uveoretinitis type and 5.6% of the patients belonged to the iridocyclitis type, whereas in the previous study the figures were 71.5% and 28.5%, respectively. The ratio of the patients with severe eye involvement has increased recently. However the visual prognosis of patients was better in the more recent study than in the previous study. In the previous study a marked decrease in visual acuity was observed during a two-year follow-up, whereas in the 1987-1992 period it was observed that visual acuity hardly changed over two years. The observed improvement in the visual prognosis may be due to the fact that the treatment of Behçet's disease has become more effective in recent years.