Tear eotaxin levels in giant papillary conjunctivitis associated with ocular prosthesis.
OBJECTIVE
To examine the role of eotaxin and eosinophil recruitment in the immunopathogenesis of ocular prosthesis-associated giant papillary conjunctivitis (GPC).


METHODS
The tear eotaxin level was measured in 68 eyes with GPC, the fellow eyes of the GPC patients, and 22 normal subjects, using an ELISA method. Upper tarsal conjunctival specimens harvested from 18 patients with GPC were examined by light microscopy.


RESULTS
There was no significant difference in tear eotaxin levels between patients with GPC and healthy subjects. In patients with chronic GPC, the tear eotaxin levels were significantly lower. These eyes also had decreased conjunctival cellularity and increased fibrosis in the substantia propria. Biopsy specimens showed infiltration of lymphocytes and mast cells, but no eosinophils were found.


CONCLUSIONS
Eotaxin and eotaxin-mediated eosinophil recruitment do not seem to have a major role in the immunopathology of chronic GPC associated with an ocular prosthesis.
Sarac
Ozge
O
Department of Ophthalmology, Hacettepe University School of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey.
Erdener
Ugur
U
Irkec
Murat
M
Us
Durdal
D
Gungen
Yucel
Y
D000328:Adult; D054413:Chemokine CCL11; D019742:Chemokines, CC / Q000378:metabolism*; D002631:Chemotactic Factors, Eosinophil / Q000378:metabolism; D003233:Conjunctivitis, Allergic / Q000209:etiology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D003261:Contact Lenses / Q000009:adverse effects*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D004804:Eosinophils / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013666:Tears / Q000378:metabolism*
C515456:CCL11 protein, human; D054413:Chemokine CCL11; D019742:Chemokines, CC; D002631:Chemotactic Factors, Eosinophil