Dacryoliths consist partly of secreted mucins comparable with the mucin spectrum of the epithelium of healthy nasolacrimal ducts. Beside TFF1 and TFF3, both of which are produced under healthy circumstances, TFF2 is additionally induced and secreted in cases of dacryolithiasis. All three TFF peptides appear to be augmented in dacryoliths. With regard to their rheologic properties, TFF peptides may play a functional role in dacryolith formation. However, our results raise the question of whether TFF peptides per se influence dacryolith formation or whether their secretion, as in secretion of mucins and alpha defensins 1-3, is merely a secondary phenomenon.

The lens epithelium is primarily damaged in type II diabetics who develop age-related cataract. This might play an important role in cataract formation.

ABSTRACT.Purpose: We investigated the effects of interleukin-1b (Il-1b) and dexamethasone (Dex) on the expression of matrix metalloprotease-1, -2, -3 and -14 (membrane type-1 MMPÀMT1-MMP) as well as tissue inhibitors of matrix metalloproteases (TIMP-1 and -2) mRNA by trabecular cells exposed not only to normal, but also to elevated levels of hydrostatic pressure. Methods: Confluent primary cultures of porcine trabecular cells were incubated in a serum-free medium (SFM) as controls, or in SFM containing either 10 ng/ml Il-1b or 10 nM Dex and exposed to pressures of 15 mmHg or 50 mmHg (corresponding to normal and high intraocular pressure, respectively) in specially designed pressure chambers. After 72 hours, total RNA was extracted from the harvested cells, reverse transcribed and amplified using primers specific to MMP-1, -2, -3 and -14, and TIMP-1 and -2. Results: The most significant changes were detected in the levels of MMP-3 mRNA in control cells (2.4-fold increase), of TIMP-1 and -2 mRNA in cells treated with Il-1b (2.6-fold increase) and of MMP-3 mRNA in cells treated with Dex (3.5-fold increase) exposed to 50 mmHg pressure. Conclusion: Because MMP-3 (stromelysin) mRNA showed the highest upregulation, our findings suggest that trabecular cells preferentially degrade and turn over the proteoglycan components of the extracellular matrix in response to short-term exposure to increased hydrostatic pressure with and without Dex as a homeostatic mechanism.

ABSTRACT.Purpose: The present study was conducted to evaluate the therapeutic effects of topically applied bone marrow (BM) cells and CD117-positive haematopoietic stem (CD117 + ) cells on alkali-induced corneal ulcers. Methods: Bone marrow cells and CD117 + cells were isolated from syngenic mice and labelled with an intracellular cell tracer. Defined corneal wounds were produced in 89 eyes of syngenic mice and allowed to partially heal in vivo for 6 hr. The alkali-burned eyes were enucleated 6 hr postinjury and randomly divided into three groups. Control group (33 eyes) was incubated with medium only. The treatment groups received either BM cells (30 eyes) or CD117 + cells (26 eyes) suspended in medium. Re-epithelialization process of corneal defects was qualitatively and quantitatively assessed and statistically analysed. The corneas were examined by histological and immunohistochemical methods. Results: We found that the re-epithelialization of corneal wounds in both treatment groups was significantly accelerated as compared to the control group. During the follow-up period (85 hr), the corneal transparency was comparable in all groups. Morphological investigations of corneas from control and treatment group showed no evident differences in the phenotype of the regenerated epithelium. Additionally, corneas in the treatment groups were devoid of donor-derived BM cells and CD117 + cells, respectively. Conclusions: This study provides evidence that topical application of BM cells or CD117 + cells can be used to reconstruct corneal surfaces. Because neither BM cells nor CD117 + cells were integrated into the corneal epithelium, we suggest that soluble factors could be responsible for the positive effect of BM cells and CD117 + cells on corneal wound healing.

Traumatic disturbance and congenital defects of canaliculi and surrounding tissue require in the case of any symptoms the surgical reconstruction of the lacrimal pathway. With the introduction of the silicone tube the success rate could be further advanced.