Leptin in corneas from keratoconus and infectious keratitis patients.
OBJECTIVE
Leptin is produced primarily by adipose tissue. More recent studies have shown extra sites of leptin production in physiologic and ill human tissues. However, whether leptin originates from human corneas in infectious keratitis and keratoconus is not known. The aim of this study was to demonstrate and quantitate leptin expression in corneas with infectious keratitis and keratoconus and make comparisons to control corneas.


METHODS
We examined the immunohistochemical staining of leptin in nine corneas surgically excised from patients with infectious keratitis (3 patients), keratoconus (3 patients), and donor corneas (3 patients).


RESULTS
The results were analyzed using a semiquantitative scoring system of mild, moderate, and strong. Cells of the infectious keratitis group had the strongest leptin staining intensity, the control group had moderate, and the keratoconus group had mild staining intensity. The more vascular corneas in the infectious keratitis group were also associated with the greatest leptin staining.


CONCLUSIONS
Our findings indicate that leptin expression was present in all three sources of corneas (infectious keratitis, keratoconus, and normal control). Quantitative scoring would imply it may play a role in infectious keratitis, although further experiments are necessary to establish any causal relationship.
Aydemir
Orhan
O
Department of Ophthalmology, Medicine Faculty, Firat University, Elazig, Turkey.
Naziroğlu
Mustafa
M
Colakoğlu
Neriman
N
Yilmaz
Turgut
T
Kükner
Aysel
A
Kükner
A Sahap
AS
D000328:Adult; D003315:Cornea / Q000737:chemistry*; D015817:Eye Infections / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007634:Keratitis / Q000378:metabolism*; D007640:Keratoconus / Q000378:metabolism*; D020738:Leptin / Q000032:analysis*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface / Q000032:analysis; D054411:Receptors, Leptin
C515448:LEPR protein, human; D020738:Leptin; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface; D054411:Receptors, Leptin