PARK7/DJ-1 inhibition decreases invasion and proliferation of uveal melanoma cells.

INTRODUCTION: PARK7/DJ-1 is an oncogene that is associated with tumorigenesis in many cancers. Recent studies have demonstrated the importance of DJ-1 in the origin and development of uveal melanoma (UM). We present an analysis of the role of the DJ-1 protein in UM cells, especially in its effect on proliferation and migration. METHODS: UM cells from a primary tumor, Mel 270, and its liver metastasis, OMM2.5, were transfected with lentiviral-delivered shRNA against PARK7/DJ-1. Evaluation of cell migration and proliferation was performed using the xCELLigence real-time cell analyzer (RTCA). The effect of DJ-1 inhibition on the PTEN-Akt signaling pathway was also studied by immunoblotting. RESULTS: The silencing of PARK7/DJ-1 oncoprotein expression produced a significant decrease of phosphorylated Akt (S473) in Mel270 and in metastatic OMM2.5 UM cells with no alteration on tumor suppressor PTEN expression. The diminution of PARK7/DJ-1 expression significantly inhibited real-time proliferation and invasion of Mel270 and OMM2.5 and the invasion potential of the metastatic cells. CONCLUSION: DJ-1 appears to play a key role on the PTEN/Akt pathway in UM. DJ-1 inhibition appears to have a negative effect on proliferation and invasion of UM cells. This suggests DJ-1 as a potential therapeutic target in UM.

Diagnosis and long-term monitoring of adenomas of the ciliary body epithelium by ultrasound biomicroscopy.

INTRODUCTION: The natural course of adenomas of the ciliary-body epithelium (ACE) is uncertain, due to their low incidence and their frequent initial surgical management.Their differential diagnosis with amelanotic melanoma or metastasis is challenging and diagnostic biopsies require sufficient tissue and highly specialized pathologists. Ultrasound biomicroscopy offers high resolution images and clear sonographic signs suggestive of ACE allowing a more precise differential diagnosis and therefore, a more conservative initial attitude. METHODS: Descriptive, retrospective, non-comparative study of consecutive cases of ACE observed between October 2003 and December 2019 in a reference unit in ocular oncology of a tertiary hospital. Patients were studied on a quarterly basis the first year and, subsequently, every 6 months with a complete ophthalmological exam and ultrasound biomicroscopy with the platform Aviso linear scanning 50 MHz probe (Quantel Medical, Clermont-Ferrand, France). RESULTS: Three ACE were analysed for a median of 3 years (interquartile range: 2.5-5.5 years). Clinical features include a whitish-to-brown spherical mass, with engorged superficial vessels. Ultrasound biomicroscopy shows an oval-spherical shape, medium-to-high echogenicity, low acoustic attenuation, regular internal structure, and respect for the neighboring structures. By their clinical-ultrasonographic characteristics, one was considered an adenoma of the pigmented ciliary-body epithelium (browner and hyperechogenic) and two were classified as adenomas of the non-pigmented ciliary epithelium (whitish appearance and medium-echogenicity). CONCLUSION: Ultrasound biomicroscopy allows a reasonable clinicalsonographic suspicion of ACE. An initial conservative management is proposed as a safer option for stable, mildly symptomatic patients, avoiding aggressive sight threatening treatments.

Intercellular Trafficking of Gold Nanostars in Uveal Melanoma Cells for Plasmonic Photothermal Therapy.

Efficient plasmonic photothermal therapies (PPTTs) using non-harmful pulse laser irradiation at the near-infrared (NIR) are a highly sought goal in nanomedicine. These therapies rely on the use of plasmonic nanostructures to kill cancer cells while minimizing the applied laser power density. Cancer cells have an unsettled capacity to uptake, retain, release, and re-uptake gold nanoparticles, thus offering enormous versatility for research. In this work, we have studied such cell capabilities for nanoparticle trafficking and its impact on the effect of photothermal treatments. As our model system, we chose uveal (eye) melanoma cells, since laser-assisted eye surgery is routinely used to treat glaucoma and cataracts, or vision correction in refractive surgery. As nanostructure, we selected gold nanostars (Au NSs) due to their high photothermal efficiency at the near-infrared (NIR) region of the electromagnetic spectrum. We first investigated the photothermal effect on the basis of the dilution of Au NSs induced by cell division. Using this approach, we obtained high PPTT efficiency after several cell division cycles at an initial low Au NS concentration (pM regime). Subsequently, we evaluated the photothermal effect on account of cell division upon mixing Au NS-loaded and non-loaded cells. Upon such mixing, we observed trafficking of Au NSs between loaded and non-loaded cells, thus achieving effective PPTT after several division cycles under low irradiation conditions (below the maximum permissible exposure threshold of skin). Our study reveals the ability of uveal melanoma cells to release and re-uptake Au NSs that maintain their plasmonic photothermal properties throughout several cell division cycles and re-uptake. This approach may be readily extrapolated to real tissue and even to treat in situ the eye tumor itself. We believe that our method can potentially be used as co-therapy to disperse plasmonic gold nanostructures across affected tissues, thus increasing the effectiveness of classic PPTT.

Blood Biomarkers of Uveal Melanoma: Current Perspectives.

The detection of metastases in patients with a diagnosis of uveal melanoma (UM) is a controversial issue. While only 1% of the patients have detectable metastases at the time of diagnosis, up to 30% of them will develop liver metastases within 5 years of treatment. UM spreads hematogenously, therefore, blood biomarkers may be helpful for prognosis and monitoring the disease progression. Despite the great progress achieved thanks to the genetic analysis of UM biopsies, this is an invasive technique and is limited by the heterogeneity of the tumor. The present review considers the current understanding in the field regarding biomarkers for the diagnosis and prognosis of UM and its metastasis, primarily to the liver. General covered topics include non-conventional markers such as proteins previously identified in cutaneous melanoma and UM cell lines, circulating tumor cells, microRNAs (miRNA), and circulating DNA, and how each may be critical in the development of novel blood biomarkers for UM.

Pharmacological Advances in the Treatment of Age-related Macular Degeneration.

Age-related macular degeneration is an acquired degenerative disease that is responsible for severe loss of vision in elderly people. There are two types: dry age-related macular degeneration and wet age-related macular degeneration. Its treatment has been improved and tries to be tailored in the future. The aim of this review is to summarize the pharmacological advances in the treatment of age-related macular degeneration. Regarding dry AMD, there is no effective treatment to reduce its progression. However, some molecules such as lampalizumab and eculizumab were under investigation, although they have shown low efficacy. Herein, in an attempt to prevent dry AMD progression, the most important studies suggested increasing the antioxidants intake and quitting the smoke habit. On the other hand, wet AMD has more developed treatment. Nowadays, the gold standard treatment is anti-VEGF injections. However, more effective molecules are currently under investigation. There are different molecules under research for dry AMD and wet AMD. This fact could help us treat our patients with more effective and lasting drugs but more clinical trials and safety studies are required in order to achieve an optimal treatment.

In Vitro Evaluation of the Ophthalmic Toxicity Profile of Chlorhexidine and Propamidine Isethionate Eye Drops.

PURPOSE: Acanthamoeba keratitis causes frequent epithelial lesions that fully expose the corneal stroma. The aim of this study was to determine the toxic profile of chlorhexidine and propamidine eye drops. METHODS: We used primary human keratocytes in cell culture in combination with a novel technology that evaluates dynamic real-time cytotoxicity through impedance analysis. Additional studies such as a classic cell viability test (WST-1®), a bovine corneal opacity and permeability assay, and an irritation eye study (Hen's Egg Test [HET]) have been made. RESULTS: Both eye drop formulations showed a time- and concentration-dependent toxicity profile, in which long periods and high concentrations were more detrimental to cells. In prolonged times of exposure, propamidine is more harmful to cells than chlorhexidine. On the contrary, no irritation has been detected in using the HET-chorioallantoic membrane test and no alterations in the corneal transparency nor permeability was produced by the treatment with both eye drops. CONCLUSIONS: In culture assay, chlorhexidine eye drops have proven to be less cytotoxic than Brolene® for a long contact period of time, but no signs of irritation or alterations in transparency or permeability have been observed in the cornea after both treatments.

Evaluation of the in vitro ocular toxicity of the fortified antibiotic eye drops prepared at the Hospital Pharmacy Departments.

The use of parenteral antibiotic eye drop formulations with non-marketed compositions or concentrations, commonly called fortified antibiotic eye drops, is a common practice in Ophthalmology in the hospital setting. The aim of this study was to evaluate the in vitro ocular toxicity of the main fortified antibiotic eye drops prepared in the Hospital Pharmacy Departments. We have conducted an in vitro experimental study in order to test the toxicity of gentamicin, amikacin, cefazolin, ceftazidime, vancomycin, colistimethate sodium and imipenem-cilastatin eye drops; their cytotoxicity and acute tissue irritation have been evaluated. Cell-based assays were performed on human stromal keratocytes, using a cell-based impedance biosensor system [xCELLigence Real-Time System Cell Analyzer (RTCA)], and the Hen's Egg Test for the ocular irritation tests. All the eye drops, except for vancomycin and imipenem, have shown a cytotoxic effect dependent on concentration and time; higher concentrations and longer exposure times will cause a steeper decline in the population of stromal keratocytes. Vancomycin showed a major initial cytotoxic effect, which was reverted over time; and imipenem appeared as a non-toxic compound for stromal cells. The eye drops with the highest irritating effect on the ocular surface were gentamicin and vancomycin. Those antibiotic eye drops prepared at the Hospital Pharmacy Departments included in this study were considered as compounds potentially cytotoxic for the ocular surface; this toxicity was dependent on the concentration used.

El uso de reformulaciones de antibioticos parenterales en forma de colirios de composicion o concentraciones no comercializadas, comunmente denominados colirios antibioticos reforzados, es una practica habitual en oftalmologia a nivel hospitalario. El objetivo del presente trabajo ha consistido en evaluar la toxicidad ocular in vitro de los principales colirios antibioticos reforzados elaborados en los Servicios de Farmacia Hospitalaria. Hemos realizado un estudio experimental in vitro para evaluar la toxicidad de los colirios de gentamicina, amikacina, cefazolina, ceftazidima, vancomicina, colistimetato de sodio e imipenem- cilastatina en el que se ha evaluado su citotoxicidad y la irritacion tisular aguda. Los ensayos celulares se realizan sobre queratocitos estromales humanos, mediante la utilizacion de un sistema biosensor de impedancia celular [(xCELLigence Real- Time System Cell Analyzer (RTCA)] y los ensayos de irritacion ocular mediante el ensayo Hen/s Egg Test. Todos los colirios, excepto vancomicina e imipenem, han mostrado un efecto citotoxico de concentracion y tiempo dependiente, siendo las concentraciones mas altas y los tiempos mas prolongados los que provocan un descenso mas pronunciado en la poblacion de queratocitos estromales. La vancomicina muestra un importante efecto citotoxico inicial que revierte con el transcurso del tiempo y el imipenem se muestra como un compuesto no toxico para las celulas estromales. Los compuestos con mayor efecto irritante para la superficie ocular son la gentamicina y la vancomicina. Los colirios antiinfecciosos elaborados en los Servicios de Farmacia Hospitalaria estudiados se muestran como compuestos potencialmente citotoxicos para la superficie ocular, siendo esta toxicidad dependiente de la concentracion utilizada.

Ocular safety comparison of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory eye drops used in pseudophakic cystoid macular edema prevention.

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) eye drops are widely used to treat ocular inflammatory conditions related to ophthalmic surgical procedures, such as pseudophakic cystoid macular edema, and they have been used for off-label treatments. The most commonly used NSAIDs are diclofenac and ketorolac and the new molecules bromfenac and nepafenac have also been used. We used primary human keratocytes in cell culture in combination with a novel technology that evaluates dynamic real-time cytotoxicity through impedance analysis. This study also included classic cell viability tests (WST-1(®) and AlamarBlue(®)), wound healing assay, Hen's Egg Test and an ex vivo histopathological assay. NSAIDs were shown to have important cytotoxicities and to retard the healing response. Furthermore, the new eye drops containing bromfenac and nepafenac were more cytotoxic than the more classical eye drops. Nevertheless, no immuno-histochemical changes or acute irritation processes were observed after the administration of any eye drops tested. Due to cytotoxicity and the total absence of discomfort and observable injuries after the administration of these drugs, significant corneal alterations, such as corneal melts, can develop without any previous warning signs of toxicity.