title: MUC5AC in juvenile conjunctival nevus.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the possible role of cysts with mucins and inflammatory cells in rapid-growing juvenile conjunctival nevus.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a case-control study at a university-based referral clinic. Seventeen conjunctival melanocytic lesions surgically excised from patients aged <20 years between 2001 and 2009 were examined by hematoxylin-eosin, periodic acid-Schiff, MUC5AC, and Alcian blue staining. The clinical signs of the affected patients and the histological findings were characterized.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Eleven patients (3 girls and 8 boys; mean age 13.72 ± 3.60 years) underwent excision of a conjunctival nevus that had grown rapidly within a recent 6-month period. We found a significantly higher number of prominent cysts with mucins in the rapid-growing specimens than in the stable-growing control specimens (n = 6; 33.7 ± 19.9 vs. 0.9 ± 0.9%, P = 0.0005). However, the numbers of inflammatory cells were not statistically significantly different (42.17 ± 15.46 vs. 45.55 ± 16.31, P = 0.683).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The period of rapid growth of juvenile conjunctival nevus is not a malignant clinical sign. Although it might correlate with enlarged cysts lined by goblet cells associated with mucin secretions, the number of inflammatory cells remains relatively stable over time.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Chang Gung University College of Medicine, #5 Fu-Hsing St., Kweishan, 333, Taoyuan, Taiwan. hclinn@adm.cgmh.org.tw
authors.forename: Hsin-Chiung
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Pao-Hsien
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Chu
authors.forename: Shih-Ming
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Jung
authors.forename: Meng-Ling
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: David Hui-Kang
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Ma
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D003230:Conjunctival Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D008297:Male; D055271:Mucin 5AC / Q000378:metabolism*; D009508:Nevus, Pigmented / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: C524678:MUC5AC protein, human; D055271:Mucin 5AC