[The changes of extracellular matrix molecules in the resected medial rectus muscle of patients with concomitant exotropia].
OBJECTIVE
In order to have a better understanding about the role of the extracellular matrix molecules in the intermittent and constant exotropia, we measured the amounts of fibronectin and proteoglycan in the resected medial rectus muscles of patients with concomitant exotropia.


METHODS
Thirty-one exotropic patients (including intermittent exotropia 17 cases and constant exotropia 14 cases) and 21 normal were chosen. In exotropic group, there were 7 cases with positive family history. Tissues of the medial rectus muscles were obtained from patients with concomitant exotropia during resection surgery and the specimen of medial rectus muscle from 21 normal persons was as control. All the tissues were weighted and then pulverized to obtain supernatant for enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The total amounts of fibronectin and proteoglycan were measured. The correlation of fibronectin and proteoglycan with age, gender, positive family history in different groups of exotropia was analyzed.


RESULTS
The amount of fibronectin in the resected medial rectus muscle of patients with concomitant exotropia was significantly lower than that of normal individual (P < 0.01), and the difference of proteoglycan amount between patients and the normal control was not significant (P > 0.05). Patients with intermittent exotropia showed significantly higher concentration of fibronectin than those with constant exotropia (P < 0.01), and the amount of proteoglycan had no significant difference between two groups (P > 0.05). The amounts of proteoglycan decreased significantly with the advance of age (r = -0.8712, P < 0.01), while the amounts of fibronectin had no correction with age (r = -0.1718, P > 0.05). Neither gender nor positive family was correlated with the amounts of proteoglycan and fibronectin (P > 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
The change of fibronectin may be related to the concomitant exotropia and the development from intermittent to constant exotropia. An attention should be paid to the roles of fibronectin in the development of strabismus.
Liu
Gui-xiang
GX
Department of Ophthalmology, the Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Medical College, Qingdao 266003, China. liugx7@126.com
Kong
Qing-Lan
QL
Hu
Cong
C
Yu
Shu-juan
SJ
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005099:Exotropia / Q000378:metabolism*; D005109:Extracellular Matrix / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D005353:Fibronectins / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009801:Oculomotor Muscles / Q000378:metabolism*; D011509:Proteoglycans / Q000378:metabolism; D055815:Young Adult
D005353:Fibronectins; D011509:Proteoglycans