title: Stability of epitheliotrophic factors in autologous serum eye drops from chronic Stevens-Johnson syndrome dry eye compared to non-autoimmune dry eye.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare the concentrations of epitheliotrophic factors in autologous serum eye drops (ASE) prepared from sera of chronic Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS) patients with dry eyes to those prepared from non-autoimmune dry eye controls and to study the stability of the epitheliotrophic factors in different storage conditions.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-percent ASE were prepared from 10 chronic SJS patients with dry eyes and 10 age-matched non-autoimmune dry eye controls. The concentrations of major epitheliotrophic factors comprising epidermal growth factor (EGF), transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-β1), transforming growth factor-beta2 (TGF-β2), and fibronectin in those ASE preparations were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) at baseline and after different storage conditions: at 4 °C for 1 week and 1 month; and at -20 °C for 1, 3 and 6 months.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were no significant differences in the concentrations of EGF, TGF-β1, TGF-β2 and fibronectin in 20% ASE between the SJS and control groups (EGF: 176.9 ± 40.9 vs. 185.5 ± 36.9 pg/mL, TGF-β1: 9.5 ± 2.1 vs. 9.5 ± 1.9 ng/mL, TGF-β2: 55.3 ± 30.0 vs. 63.91 ± 45.6 pg/mL and fibronectin: 70.5 ± 20.2 vs. 62.2 ± 21.3 µg/mL, respectively). These factors were stable at 4 °C for up to 1 month. Storage at -20 °C for up to 6 months resulted in a slight decrease in TGF-β1 (SJS: from 9.5-8.4 ng/mL, p < 0.01 and control: from 9.5-8.1 ng/mL, p < 0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results suggested that the epitheliotrophic capacity of ASE from chronic SJS should be comparable to those from non-autoimmune dry eye patients, and that ASE should be sufficiently stable for up to 6 months, if stored properly at -20 °C.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand.
authors.forename: Nopasak
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Phasukkijwatana
authors.forename: Patcharee
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lertrit
authors.forename: Sompong
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Liammongkolkul
authors.forename: Pinnita
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Prabhasawat
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002908:Chronic Disease; D015352:Dry Eye Syndromes / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000628:therapy*; D019573:Epithelium, Corneal / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D005136:Eye Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009883:Ophthalmic Solutions; D044967:Serum; D013262:Stevens-Johnson Syndrome / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000628:therapy*; D013666:Tears / Q000737:chemistry*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D005136:Eye Proteins; D009883:Ophthalmic Solutions; C042434:tear proteins