Activation of p38 and Erk Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases Signaling in Ocular Rosacea.
Rosacea-related cutaneous inflammation is a common cause of ocular surface disease. Currently, there are no specific pharmacologic therapies to treat ocular rosacea. Here, we aimed at determining the differences in intracellular signaling activity in eyelid skin from patients with and without ocular rosacea.



This was an observational, comparative case series including 21 patients undergoing lower lid ectropion surgery at one practice during 2013 and 2014 (18 patients with rosacea, 13 control patients), and 24 paraffin-embedded archival samples from Albany Medical Center, selected randomly (12 patients with rosacea, 12 control patients). Cutaneous biopsies resulting from elective lower lid ectropion surgery were analyzed by Proteome Profiler Human Phospho-Kinase Array, Western blot, and/or immunohistochemistry.



Samples derived from ocular rosacea patients showed increased levels of phosphorylated (active) p38 and Erk kinases. Phosphoproteins were mainly localized to the epidermis of affected eyelids.



This finding provides a novel potential therapeutic target for treatment of ocular rosacea and possibly other forms of rosacea. Further testing is required to determine if p38 and Erk activation have a causal role in ocular rosacea. The selective activation of keratinocytes in the affected skin suggests that topical pathway inhibition may be an effective treatment that will ultimately prevent ocular surface damage due to ocular rosacea.
Department of Ophthalmology, Albany Medical College, Albany, New York, United States 2Department of Ophthalmology, Ophthalmic Plastic Surgery, Lions Eye Institute, Slingerlands, New York, United States.
Edward J
EJ
Wladis
Medical Education Program, Albany Medical College, Albany, New York, United States.
Supraja
S
Swamy
Medical Education Program, Albany Medical College, Albany, New York, United States.
Alyssa
A
Herrmann
Medical Education Program, Albany Medical College, Albany, New York, United States.
Jinhong
J
Yang
Department of Pathology, Albany Medical College, Albany, New York, United States.
J Andrew
JA
Carlson
Department of Ophthalmology, Albany Medical College, Albany, New York, United States 5Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Albany Medical College, Albany, New York, United States.
Alejandro P
AP
Adam
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015153:Blotting, Western; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D048049:Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*; D005143:Eyelids / Q000201:enzymology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012393:Rosacea / Q000201:enzymology*; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology; D012867:Skin / Q000201:enzymology; D048051:p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*
D048049:Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases; D048051:p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases