Abstract
Abstract: :
Purpose: To investigate gelatinase {Matrix metalloproteinase(MMP)–2 and MMP–9} expression in the patients with recurrent corneal erosion (RCE). Methods: The subjects comprised patients with RCE, RCE group (10 cases of total 25 eyes); the patients with conventional corneal erosion caused by trauma, erosion group (3 cases of 3 eyes); and normal subjects, normal group (10 cases of 10 eyes). In RCE group, tear was taken during the onset period (7 cases of 7 eyes) or latency period (4 cases of total 6 eyes) and in the fellow eye (9 cases of total 12 eyes), the tear was also taken essentially. Latency period of RCE was termed as the absence of erosion occurence at least 4 weeks. After obtaining the informed consent, tear samples were collected by the method of Schirmer test I and analyzed by gelatin zymography. Results: In normal group and erosion group, neither active form of MMP–2 (62kDa) nor active form of MMP–9 (82kDa) was detected. In RCE group, active MMP–2 and active MMP–9 were both detected in all 7 eyes in onset period. In latency period, active MMP–2 (5/6) and active MMP–9 (3/6) were detected. In fellow eye, active MMP–2 (3/12) and active MMP–9 (3/12) were detected even though there was no history of recurrent corneal erosion. Conclusions: In the tear fluid of RCE, gelatinase expression was up–regulated. The existences of gelatinase in latency period and fellow eye indicate that gelatinese expression in the tear fluid may have relationship with its recurrence.
Keywords: cornea: epithelium • enzymes/enzyme inhibitors