title: Serum growth factor analysis in dry eye syndrome.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  To perform a comprehensive serum growth factor analysis in dry eye syndrome patients and to compare this with matched controls.
  
  
  METHODS
  Six female dry eye syndrome patients and six age- and gender-matched controls were recruited. Whole blood was collected, allowed to clot and then centrifuged. Serum was extracted by using sterile technique. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays were performed to quantify serum growth factor levels.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Levels of transforming growth factor-beta 1 and 2 (TGF-beta1 and beta2), nerve growth factor (NGF), insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), epidermal growth factor (EGF), acidic and basic fibroblast growth factor (FGF), keratinocyte growth factor (KGF), hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), platelet-derived growth factor-AA, AB and BB (PDGF-AA, AB and BB), brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), neurotrophin-3 (NT-3) and glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) were quantified, and statistical analysis was performed by using the Mann-Whitney U-test with the Bonferroni correction.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  No significant difference was found between serum growth factor levels in dry eye syndrome patients versus controls. Our study provides comprehensive analysis of serum growth factor levels in autologous serum eye drops produced from ocular surface disease patients. A knowledge of growth factor levels in serum may be important because of the increasing use of autologous serum eye drops in refractory ocular surface diseases and for an understanding of how topical serum may provide benefit.
authors.affiliation: Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Department of Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences, Lubbock, Texas 79430-7217, USA. docjayb@aol.com
authors.forename: Jay C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Bradley
authors.forename: Rachael H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Bradley
authors.forename: David L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: McCartney
authors.forename: Mark J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Mannis
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000077214:Becaplermin; D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor / Q000097:blood; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D015352:Dry Eye Syndromes / Q000097:blood* / Q000209:etiology; D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D016222:Fibroblast Growth Factor 2 / Q000097:blood; D051523:Fibroblast Growth Factor 7 / Q000097:blood; D017228:Hepatocyte Growth Factor / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I / Q000032:analysis; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / Q000097:blood*; D008875:Middle Aged; D020932:Nerve Growth Factor / Q000097:blood; D009883:Ophthalmic Solutions; D010982:Platelet-Derived Growth Factor / Q000032:analysis; D020574:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-sis; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1 / Q000097:blood; D053781:Transforming Growth Factor beta2 / Q000097:blood; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D009883:Ophthalmic Solutions; D010982:Platelet-Derived Growth Factor; D020574:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-sis; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1; D053781:Transforming Growth Factor beta2; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; C075278:platelet-derived growth factor A; C095477:platelet-derived growth factor AB; D016222:Fibroblast Growth Factor 2; D051523:Fibroblast Growth Factor 7; D000077214:Becaplermin; D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor; D017228:Hepatocyte Growth Factor; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I; D020932:Nerve Growth Factor