title: Conjunctival Lymphangiogenesis Was Associated with the Degree of Aggression in Substantial Recurrent Pterygia.
abstract: Objective. To examine conjunctival lymphatic vessels and to analyze the relationship between lymphangiogenesis and aggressive recurrent pterygia. Methods. Tissues from 60 excised recurrent (including 19 of Grade 1, 28 of Grade 2, and 13 of Grade 3) pterygia were used in the study. Tissues from 9 nasal epibulbar conjunctivae segments were used as controls. Pterygium slices from each patient were immunostained with LYVE-1 monoclonal antibodies to identify lymphatic microvessels in order to calculate the lymphovascular area (LVA), the lymphatic microvessel density (LMD), and the lymphovascular luminal diameter (LVL). The relationship between lymphangiogenesis (LVA, LMD, and LVL) and pterygium aggression (width, extension, and area) was clarified. Results. Few LYVE-1 positive lymphatic vessels were found in the normal epibulbar conjunctiva segments. Lymphatic vessels were slightly increased in Grades 1 and 2 and were dramatically increased in Grade 3 recurrent pterygia. The LMD was correlated with the pterygium area in Grade 1 and 2 pterygia. In Grade 3, both LVA and LMD were significantly correlated with the pterygium area. Conclusions. Lymphangiogenesis was associated with the degree of aggression in recurrent pterygia, particularly in substantial Grade 3 recurrent pterygia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 510623, China.
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, The Third Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510630, China.
authors.forename: Tao
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, The Third Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510630, China.
authors.forename: Juan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Deng
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, The Third Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510630, China.
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhong
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, The Third Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510630, China.
authors.forename: Weilan
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, The Third Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510630, China.
authors.forename: Shiqi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ling