title: Kinetic Profiles of Inflammatory Mediators in the Conjunctival Sac Fluid of Patients upon Photorefractive Keratectomy.
abstract: Photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) represents a therapeutic option to remodel corneal stroma and to compensate refractive errors, which involves inflammatory and/or regenerative processes. In this context, the modulation of cytokines/chemokines in the conjunctival sac fluid and their role in the maintenance of the corneal microenvironment during the healing process upon refractive procedures has not been deeply investigated. In this study, serial samples of conjunctival sac fluid of patients (n = 25) undergoing PRK were harvested before and at different time points after surgery. The levels of 29 cytokines/chemokines/growth factors involved in inflammatory/immune processes were measured with a multiplex array system. The results have firstly highlighted the different pattern of cytokine expression between the microenvironment at the anterior surface of the eye and the systemic circulation. More importantly, the kinetic of modulation of cytokines/chemokines at the conjunctival level following PRK revealed that while the majority of cytokines/chemokines showed a significant decrease, MCP-1 emerged in light of its pronounced and significant increase soon after PRK and during the follow-up. This methodological approach has highlighted the role of MCP-1 in the healing process following PRK and has shown a potential for the identification of expression/modulation of soluble factors for biomarker profiling in ocular surface diseases.
authors.affiliation: Department of Morphology, Surgery and Experimental Medicine and LTTA Centre, University of Ferrara, Via Fossato di Mortara 66, 44121 Ferrara, Italy.
authors.forename: Veronica
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Tisato
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Sciences and Surgical Specialities, University-Hospital of Ferrara, Corso Giovecca 203, 44121 Ferrara, Italy.
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Perri
authors.affiliation: Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste, Via Manzoni 16, 34137 Trieste, Italy.
authors.forename: Erika
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Rimondi
authors.affiliation: Department of Morphology, Surgery and Experimental Medicine and LTTA Centre, University of Ferrara, Via Fossato di Mortara 66, 44121 Ferrara, Italy.
authors.forename: Elisabetta
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Melloni
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Sciences and Surgical Specialities, University-Hospital of Ferrara, Corso Giovecca 203, 44121 Ferrara, Italy.
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Lamberti
authors.affiliation: Department of Morphology, Surgery and Experimental Medicine and LTTA Centre, University of Ferrara, Via Fossato di Mortara 66, 44121 Ferrara, Italy.
authors.forename: Daniela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Milani
authors.affiliation: Department of Morphology, Surgery and Experimental Medicine and LTTA Centre, University of Ferrara, Via Fossato di Mortara 66, 44121 Ferrara, Italy.
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Secchiero
authors.affiliation: Institute for Maternal and Child Health, IRCCS Burlo Garofolo, Via dell'Istria 65/01, 34137 Trieste, Italy.
authors.forename: Giorgio
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zauli
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D018932:Chemokine CCL2 / Q000378:metabolism; D018925:Chemokines / Q000378:metabolism; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003228:Conjunctiva / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D003319:Corneal Stroma / Q000378:metabolism*; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D018836:Inflammation Mediators / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018903:Photorefractive Keratectomy / Q000379:methods*; D012030:Refractive Errors / Q000628:therapy; D014945:Wound Healing
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; C111835:CCL2 protein, human; D018932:Chemokine CCL2; D018925:Chemokines; D016207:Cytokines; D018836:Inflammation Mediators