Original articleConjunctival epithelial cell expression of interleukins and inflammatory markers in glaucoma patients treated over the long term
Section snippets
Patients
A total of 69 patients with glaucoma and 15 normal subjects were included in this case–control study conducted in compliance with the Declaration of Helsinki (Scotland amendment, 2000). All glaucoma patients had chronic primary open-angle glaucoma but no other ocular disease, as assessed after a complete ocular examination. They were treated for at least 1 year with the same treatment, 27 patients with preserved 0.5% timolol (containing 0.01% benzalkonium chloride as a preservative), 24
Results
The mean percentage of HLA DR–positive conjunctival cells (Fig 1A) was higher in both the preserved and the multitreatment groups (46.4% and 63.4%, respectively) than in the control group (13.1%; P<0.001 for both groups) and the eyes receiving preservative-free timolol (19.3%; P≤0.03 for both groups). No difference was found between the control and preservative-free groups. Although the mean percentage of HLA DR–positive cells was higher in the multitreatment group than in the preservative
Discussion
In previous studies on ocular surface immunopathology, some evidence has suggested that conjunctival epithelial cells may play an active role in ocular inflammation.28, 29, 30 Conjunctival epithelial cells have therefore previously been shown to express immune-related markers29, 32 and to be a possible source for proinflammatory cytokines.33, 34 Normal conjunctival epithelial cells express mRNA for IL-1, IL-6, IL-8, tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α), and regulated-on-activation normal T-cell
References (49)
- et al.
Foreshortening of the inferior conjunctival fornix associated with chronic glaucoma medications
Ophthalmology
(1992) - et al.
Ocular surface alteration after long-term treatment with an antiglaucomatous drug
Ophthalmology
(1992) - et al.
Ocular surface inflammatory changes induced by topical antiglaucoma drugsHuman and animal studies
Ophthalmology
(1999) - et al.
Effects of topical glaucoma drugs on fistulized rabbit conjunctiva
Ophthalmology
(1990) - et al.
ESCRS Binkhorst Lecture 2002Pseudophakic preservative maculopathy
J Cataract Refract Surg
(2003) - et al.
Expression of Fas-Fas ligand antigens and apoptotic marker APO2.7 by the human conjunctival epitheliumPositive correlation with class II HLA DR expression in inflammatory ocular surface disorders
Exp Eye Res
(1998) - et al.
The role of conjunctival epithelial cells in chronic ocular allergic disease
Exp Eye Res
(1998) - et al.
Up-regulated gene expression in the conjunctival epithelium of patients with Sjogren's syndrome
Exp Eye Res
(2003) - et al.
Procollagens and inflammatory cytokine concentrations in tarsal and limbal vernal keratoconjunctivitis
Exp Eye Res
(1998) - et al.
Eosinophil surface antigen expression and cytokine production vary in different ocular allergic diseases
J Allergy Clin Immunol
(1998)
IL-10: a potential therapy for allergic inflammation?
Immunol Today
Prevalence of ocular symptoms and signs with preserved and preservative-free glaucoma medication
Br J Ophthalmol
Comparison of the short-term effects on the human corneal surface of topical timolol maleate with and without benzalkonium chloride
J Glaucoma
Adverse effects of topical antiglaucomatous medications on the conjunctiva
Br J Ophthalmol
Effects of topical antiglaucoma drugs on apoptosis rates of conjunctival epithelial cells in glaucoma patients
Clin Experiment Ophthalmol
Adverse effects of topical antiglaucomatous medicationII. The outcome of filtration surgery
Arch Ophthalmol
Effects of antiglaucoma drugs on ocular surface
Acta Ophthalmol Scand
The effect of preservatives and antiglaucomatous medication on histopathology of the conjunctiva
Graefes Arch Clin Exp Ophthalmol
Ocular surface changes induced by topical antiglaucoma monotherapy
Ophthalmologica
Conjunctival proinflammatory and proapoptotic effects of latanoprost and preserved and unpreserved timolol: an ex vivo and in vitro study
Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci
Effects of benzalkonium chloride on growth and survival of Chang conjunctival cells
Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci
Histopathological effects of topical ophthalmic preservatives on rat corneoconjunctival surface
Curr Eye Res
Mitochondrial activity and glutathione injury in apoptosis induced by unpreserved and preserved beta-blockers on Chang conjunctival cells
Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci
The effect of different benzalkonium chloride concentrations on human normal ocular surfaceA controlled prospective impression cytology study
Cited by (178)
Topical glaucoma medications – Clinical implications for the ocular surface
2022, Ocular SurfaceGlaucomatous trabeculum: An inflammatory trabeculopathy? [French translation]
2022, Journal Francais d'OphtalmologieThe trabecular meshwork in glaucoma: An inflammatory trabeculopathy?
2021, Journal Francais d'OphtalmologieInflammation in Glaucoma: From the back to the front of the eye, and beyond
2021, Progress in Retinal and Eye Research
Manuscript no. 240204.
This study was supported by University Paris 6, Paris, France (grant no.: EA3123).