Our results suggest an interdependent mechanism involving MMPs and proliferation of ameloblastoma cells, which may contribute to the local invasiveness of this tumour.

Previous studies have observed changes in the lacrimal gland and ocular surface related to diabetes mellitus and related it to insulin resistance or insufficiency and oxidative damage. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether insulin treatment inhibits those changes. Diabetes was induced in male Wistar rats with a single intravenous injection of streptozotocin and a subgroup was treated with insulin. After 5 and 10 weeks, the three groups (n = 5-10/group/experimental procedure) were compared for biochemical, functional, and histological parameters. After 5 weeks, changes in morphology and increased numbers of lipofucsin-like inclusions were observed in lacrimal glands of diabetic but not insulin-treated rats. After 5 weeks, malonaldehyde and total peroxidase activity were significantly higher in diabetic rats, but similar to control in insulin-treated diabetic rats (P = 0.03, P = 0.02, respectively). Our data indicate that diabetes induces histological alterations in lacrimal gland and suggests that hyperglycemia-related oxidative stress may participate in diabetic dry eye syndrome. Prevention by insulin replacement suggests direct hormone action and/or benefit by early sub optimal metabolic control.

Chronically reduced levels of TH lead to biochemical and structural changes and modulate the levels of Thrb in LG. These events confirm that LG is a target organ for TH and may facilitate understanding of the mechanism related to dry eye in hypothyroidism.

Insulin secretion by rat lachrymal glands: effects of systemic and local variables. To understand the secretory mechanisms and physiological role of insulin in the tear film, the present study examined 1) the time course of insulin secretion in the tear film under glucose intravenous stimulation, 2) the glucose-and carbachol-induced insulin secretion from isolated lachrymal gland (LG), 3) the effect of insulin on glucose consumption by the cornea, and 4) the expression of insulin, pancreatic duodenal homeobox-1 (PDX-1), and glucose transport proteins (GLUTs) in LG tissue. The insulin level in the tear film of 8-wk-old male Wistar rats increased from 0.6 Ϯ 0.45 to 3.7 Ϯ 1.3 ng/ml in the initial minutes after glucose stimulation. In vitro assays demonstrated that higher glucose concentrations from 2.8 to 16.7 mM, 200 M carbachol, or 40 mM KCl significantly increased insulin secretion from lacrimal glands compared with controls, but did not detect C-peptide as measured by RIA. Glucose consumption by corneal tissue, evaluated by radiolabeled D-[U-14 C]glucose uptake, was 24.07 Ϯ 0.61 and was enhanced to 31.63 Ϯ 3.15 nmol⅐cornea Ϫ1 ⅐2 h Ϫ1 in the presence of 6 nM insulin (P ϭ 0.033) and to 37.5 Ϯ 3.7 nmol⅐cornea Ϫ1 ⅐2 h Ϫ1 in the presence of 11.2 mM glucose (P ϭ 0.015). Insulin and PDX-1 mRNA was detected in LG. Insulin was located in the apical areas of acinar cells by immunoperoxidase and the expression of GLUT-1, but not PDX-1, was confirmed by Western blot. These findings suggest that insulin secretion in the tear film is influenced by local stimuli such as nutrient and neural inputs and that this hormone plays a metabolic role in ocular surface tissues. These data also indicate that under normal conditions the insulin secreted by LG is stored, but it is not clear that is locally produced in the LG. glucose transportertear filmocular surface

The aim of this study is to evaluate whether aspirin reduces Diabetis Mellitus (DM) oxidative damage in the lacrimal gland (LG), and ocular surface (OS). Ten weeks after streptozotocin induced DM and aspirin treatment, LG and OS of rats were compared for tear secretion, hidtology, peroxidase activity, and expression of uncoupling proteins (UCPs). DM reduction of tear secretion was prevented by aspirin (P < 0.01). Alterations of LG morphology and increased numbers of lipofucsin-like inclusions were observed in diabetic but not in aspirin-treated diabetic rats. Peroxidase activity levels were higher and UCP-2 was reduced in DM LG but not in aspirin treated (P = 0.0025 and P < 0.05, respectively). The findings prevented by aspirin indicate a direct inhibitory effect on oxidative pathways in LG and their inflammatory consequences, preserving the LG structure and function against hyperglycemia and/or insulin deficiency damage.

No abstract

The condition of lacrimal glands (LG) is influenced by components of the immune, neural, and endocrine systems (1)(2)(3)(4)(5) . Insulin is thought to be of major importance, based on observations related to its deprivation in diabetes mellitus (DM), on LG, tear film, and ocular surface in humans, animal models, and in culture (6)(7)(8) . Lacrimal gland acinar cell (LGAC) culture is an appropriate model for improving the understanding of the influence of insulin on these cells.In previous studies, the culture of LGACs from different species was performed over an average period of 21 days (9,10) . Several attempts to enhance the growth of acinar cells in culture have been made, but after a span of approximately 3 weeks, LGACs exhibited decreased viability, with high numbers of apoptotic cells (11)(12)(13)(14) . Exocrine acinar cells are fragile, post-mitotic epithelial cells with marked polarity. This indicates that the apical and basal sides are clearly positioned but also that intracellular organelles are located at one or the other pole, depending on their cellular functions. Thus, an adequate extracellular matrix and other specific ingredients are needed in the culture media to mimic in vivo conditions (15,16) . The handling during isolation and culture procedure of LGACs should be gentle ABSTRACT Purpose: The goal of the present study was to establish a protocol for primary culture of lacrimal gland acinar cells (LGACs) and to assess the effect of adding insulin to the culture media. Methods:LGACs were isolated and cultured from lacrimal glands of Wistar male rats. The study outcomes included cell number, viability, and peroxidase release over time and in response to three concentrations of insulin (0.5, 5.0, and 50.0 μg/mL). Results: In LGAC primary culture, cells started to form clusters by day 3. There was a time-response pattern of peroxidase release, which rose by day 6, in response to carbachol. Culture viability lasted for 12 days. An insulin concentration of 5.0 μg/mL in the culture medium resulted in higher viability and secretory capacity. Conclusions:The present method simplifies the isolation and culture of LGACs. The data confirmed the relevance of adding insulin to maintain LGACs in culture. Keywords