June 2023
Volume 64, Issue 8
Open Access
ARVO Annual Meeting Abstract  |   June 2023
Gene expression changes in conjunctival epithelial cells after long-term management in chronic ocular pain and dry eye patients
Author Affiliations & Notes
  • Andres Angel Calderon-Garcia
    Universidad de Valladolid Instituto de Oftalmobiologia Aplicada, Valladolid, Castilla y León, Spain
  • Cristina Valencia-Sandonis
    Universidad de Valladolid Instituto de Oftalmobiologia Aplicada, Valladolid, Castilla y León, Spain
  • Amanda Vázquez
    Universidad de Valladolid Instituto de Oftalmobiologia Aplicada, Valladolid, Castilla y León, Spain
  • Elena Martínez-Plaza
    Universidad de Valladolid Instituto de Oftalmobiologia Aplicada, Valladolid, Castilla y León, Spain
  • Eva Sobas-Abad
    Universidad de Valladolid Instituto de Oftalmobiologia Aplicada, Valladolid, Castilla y León, Spain
  • Carmen Garcia-Vazquez
    Universidad de Valladolid Instituto de Oftalmobiologia Aplicada, Valladolid, Castilla y León, Spain
  • Enrique Ortega
    Universidad de Valladolid Instituto de Oftalmobiologia Aplicada, Valladolid, Castilla y León, Spain
    Unidad del dolor, Alianza de Hospitales Universitarios, Sistema de Salud de Castilla y León, Valladolid, Spain
  • Margarita Calonge
    Universidad de Valladolid Instituto de Oftalmobiologia Aplicada, Valladolid, Castilla y León, Spain
    Centro de Investigacion Biomedica en red en Bioingenieria Biomateriales y Nanomedicina, Valladolid, Spain
  • María J. González-García
    Universidad de Valladolid Instituto de Oftalmobiologia Aplicada, Valladolid, Castilla y León, Spain
    Centro de Investigacion Biomedica en red en Bioingenieria Biomateriales y Nanomedicina, Valladolid, Spain
  • Amalia Enriquez-De-Salamanca
    Universidad de Valladolid Instituto de Oftalmobiologia Aplicada, Valladolid, Castilla y León, Spain
    Centro de Investigacion Biomedica en red en Bioingenieria Biomateriales y Nanomedicina, Valladolid, Spain
  • Footnotes
    Commercial Relationships   Andres Angel Calderon-Garcia None; Cristina Valencia-Sandonis None; Amanda Vázquez None; Elena Martínez-Plaza None; Eva Sobas-Abad None; Carmen Garcia-Vazquez None; Enrique Ortega None; Margarita Calonge Novartis, Code C (Consultant/Contractor), Thea Laboratoires, Code C (Consultant/Contractor), Santén, Code F (Financial Support); María J. González-García None; Amalia Enriquez-De-Salamanca Ocular Technology Group OTG, Code F (Financial Support)
  • Footnotes
    Support  This work was supported by the Junta of Castilla y León, Spain (VA214P20).
Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science June 2023, Vol.64, 2935. doi:
  • Views
  • Share
  • Tools
    • Alerts
      ×
      This feature is available to authenticated users only.
      Sign In or Create an Account ×
    • Get Citation

      Andres Angel Calderon-Garcia, Cristina Valencia-Sandonis, Amanda Vázquez, Elena Martínez-Plaza, Eva Sobas-Abad, Carmen Garcia-Vazquez, Enrique Ortega, Margarita Calonge, María J. González-García, Amalia Enriquez-De-Salamanca; Gene expression changes in conjunctival epithelial cells after long-term management in chronic ocular pain and dry eye patients. Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci. 2023;64(8):2935.

      Download citation file:


      © ARVO (1962-2015); The Authors (2016-present)

      ×
  • Supplements
Abstract

Purpose : To analyze the long term-evolution of gene expression changes in conjunctival epithelial cells in patients suffering from chronic ocular pain and dry eye (DE) after refractive surgery (RS).

Methods : Patients with chronic ocular pain and DE after RS were included in this study. They attended two visits. In the first visit (V1) patients were evaluated, and a wide variety of personalized treatment for the management of pain and DE was prescribed. In the second visit (V2) (range: 3-7 years after V1), patients were prospectively evaluated to assess their evolution over time. On each visit, conjunctival epithelial cells were collected by conjunctival impression cytology. Expression of 25 genes (BDKRB1, BDNF, CALCA, CCL2, CD200, CNR2, CX3CR1, IL18, IL1A, IL2, IL6, ITGAM, NGF, NTRK1, OPRD1, OPRK1, OPRM1, PENK, PTGS1, TAC1, TACR1, TNF, TRPA1, TRPV1, and TRPV3) related to neuropathic and inflammatory pain was analysed in conjunctival epithelial cells by qPCR using a customized PCR array. GAPDH was used as housekeeping gene. Gene expression changes between visits were evaluated individually in each patient using paired t-test.

Results : Twenty-two patients (63.6% females), with a mean age of 42.45±9.91 (range: 28-62) years, were included in the study. Out of the 25 genes analyzed, 15 (BDKRB1, BDNF, CALCA, CX3CR1, IL2, IL6, IL18, ITGAM, NGF, NTRK1, OPRK1, PTGS1, TNF, TRPV1, and TRPV3) were detected in more than 50% of the patients in both visits. IL6 expression was significantly upregulated at V2 compared to V1 (ΔCt= 11.11±3.285 vs 9.474±3.561; p=0.0212). IL18 and NGF were differentially expressed with borderline statistical significance, being both upregulated at V2.

Conclusions : Changes in IL6, IL18 and NGF gene expression in conjunctival epithelial cells after long term treatment could be related to the evolution in the presence and/or intensity of ocular pain in these patients.

This abstract was presented at the 2023 ARVO Annual Meeting, held in New Orleans, LA, April 23-27, 2023.

×
×

This PDF is available to Subscribers Only

Sign in or purchase a subscription to access this content. ×

You must be signed into an individual account to use this feature.

×