Alterations in ultrastructure and c-met expression in a case of ocular epithelial dysplasia following topical mitomycin C treatment.
OBJECTIVE
Topical mitomycin C (MMC) administration is reportedly effective in treating ocular surface neoplasms such as squamous cell carcinoma. We treated a case of ocular epithelial dysplasia that had spread too diffusely to be completely removed. We examined the ultrastructure of and c-met (hepatocyte growth factor receptor) expression in dysplastic epithelial cells from this case to evaluate the efficacy of MMC treatment.


METHODS
Specimens of dysplastic epithelial tissue from the corneo-limbal region of a 62-year-old man were obtained before and after topical application of MMC. Specimens were examined ultrastructurally and immunohistochemically with an antibody against human c-met.


RESULTS
Following topical application of MMC, the dysplastic epithelium exhibited multilayered epithelial cells similar to those seen before treatment. However, ultrastructural examination showed tight interdigitation between neighboring cells, with no intercellular spaces. Also, the marked immunoreactivity to c-met in the dysplastic epithelial cells before MMC treatment was decreased after treatment.


CONCLUSIONS
Ultrastructural observations indicated a restoration of epithelial cellular differentiation following MMC application. The expression of c-met protein was also reduced. Thus, topical MMC was effective in treating epithelial dysplasia of the ocular surface, with no recurrence 15 months post-therapy.
Saika
S
S
Department of Ophthalmology, Wakayama Medical College, Kimiidera, Wakayama, Japan.
Miyamoto
T
T
Kawashima
Y
Y
Jinza
K
K
Okada
Y
Y
Yamanaka
O
O
Ohnishi
Y
Y
Ooshima
A
A
D000287:Administration, Topical; D000903:Antibiotics, Antineoplastic / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002278:Carcinoma in Situ / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D003316:Corneal Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D019573:Epithelium, Corneal / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D005134:Eye Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016685:Mitomycin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D009883:Ophthalmic Solutions; D019859:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-met / Q000378:metabolism*
D000903:Antibiotics, Antineoplastic; D009883:Ophthalmic Solutions; D016685:Mitomycin; D019859:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-met