title: Effects of Autologous Serum Eye Drops on Conjunctival Expression of MUC5AC in Patients With Ocular Surface Disorders.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the effects of autologous serum eye drops on conjunctival expression of the mucin gene MUC5AC by means of quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR).
  
  
  METHODS
  A prospective and comparative interventional case series study of 38 eyes of 19 patients with different ocular surface disorders was performed before and 6 weeks after the treatment with autologous serum eye drops. All patients underwent a complete ophthalmic assessment, including evaluation of the tear film, ocular surface exploration, conjunctival impression cytology (IC), and MUC5AC detection by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 34 eyes were studied by IC and MUC5AC quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction before and after treatment with autologous serum. This treatment improved breakup time, conjunctival squamous metaplasia, goblet cell density, and subjective perception in 76.2%, 70.6%, 55.9% and 73.5% of eyes, respectively. Treatment with autologous serum enhanced conjunctival expression of MUC5AC (P = 0.001), although these differences were not statistically significant if data are analyzed patient by patient (P = 0.09). In 13 of 34 eyes (38.2%), we found increased expression of MUC5AC; in 12 eyes (35.3%), no significant changes were found; and in 9 eyes (26.5%), a decreased expression was found. The MUC5AC gene upregulation was related to the conjunctival involvement before treatment and with the improvement in the degree of squamous metaplasia and the increase in the number of goblet cells in IC after treatment (P = 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Treatment with autologous serum enhances the conjunctival expression of MUC5AC by increasing the density of goblet cells, mainly in patients with severe conjunctival involvement.
authors.affiliation: *Ophthalmology Service, Hospital Cruz Roja, Madrid, Spain; †Dry Eye Unit, Research Laboratory, Ophthalmology Service, Hospital Ramón y Cajal, Madrid, Spain; ‡Ophthalmology Service, Hospital de Parla, Madrid, Spain; and §Bioftalmik, Applied Research, Derio, Vizcaya, Spain.
authors.forename: José S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: López-García
authors.forename: Isabel
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: García-Lozano
authors.forename: Luis
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Rivas
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Giménez
authors.forename: Arantxa
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Acera
authors.forename: Tatiana
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Suárez-Cortés
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003228:Conjunctiva / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D003229:Conjunctival Diseases / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D020397:Goblet Cells / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008679:Metaplasia; D008875:Middle Aged; D055271:Mucin 5AC / Q000378:metabolism*; D009883:Ophthalmic Solutions / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D044967:Serum; D013666:Tears / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D055271:Mucin 5AC; D009883:Ophthalmic Solutions