keratoconjunctivitis/protease

One-hundred rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients were assessed for the association of HLA-DR4, protease inhibitor (Pi) phenotype and keratoconjunctivitis sicca (KCS) with a variety of clinical features, airflow obstruction and bronchial reactivity. Spirometry, lung volume and gas transfer factor

Allergic eye disease has a variety of clinical manifestations including seasonal atopic conjunctivitis (SAC), perennial atopic conjunctivitis (PAC), atopic keratoconjunctivitis (AKC), and atopic blepharoconjunctivitis (ABC). We have investigated the number, distribution and protease expression of

The multiple-drug-resistant Serratia marcescens isolate SH 186 (serotype 06/014:H12, bacteriocin type 18) carried a 44 megadalton, nonconjugative resistance (R-) plasmid as demonstrated with 'curing' experiments and the DNA agarose gel electrophoresis technique. 'Cured' variants, which had lost part

BACKGROUND To detect the presence of multiple mediators and growth factors in tears of vernal keratoconjunctivitis (VKC) patients with active disease using stationary phase antibody arrays. METHODS Tears were collected from 12 normal subjects (CT) and 24 active VKC patients. Tears were centrifuged

OBJECTIVE Plasminogen activators play a role, not only in fibrinolysis but also in events such as chemotaxis, collagen degradation, and cell spreading. The serine protease urokinase (uPA) is a potent chemoattractant for leukocytes that may be involved in the pathogenesis of severe forms of allergic

OBJECTIVE Tryptase that is released by mast cell degranulation has recently been thought to play a key role in wound healing in allergic bronchitis. Conjunctival fibroblasts secrete mediators and extracellular matrices that could exacerbate inflammation and papillary formation in allergic

Vernal keratoconjunctivitis (VKC) is a chronic, seasonally exacerbated allergic inflammation of the lids, conjunctiva, and cornea. The pathogenesis of VKC is much more complex than a mere type I hypersensitivity reaction. T-cell-mediated responses, eosinophil attraction, and nonspecific

BACKGROUND Around one million people are affected by adenoviral keratoconjunctivitis a year in Japan, and it is recognized as one of the major pathogens of ophthalmological nosocomial infection worldwide. Although cidofovir can be used systemically for immunocompromised patients with disseminated

Infectious bovine keratoconjunctivitis is a common and highly contagious ocular disease affecting cattle worldwide. The tremendous economic losses attributable to this disease warrant continued investigation into methods of prevention. Multiple virulence factors have been linked to the primary

A large plasmid-encoded protein, VirG, on the bacterial surface is essential for the spreading of Shigella by eliciting polar deposition of filamentous actin in the cytoplasm of epithelial cells. VirG expression from the large plasmid is diminished greatly when it is introduced into Escherichia coli

The serine protease autotransporters of Enterobacteriaceae (SPATEs) are secreted by pathogenic Gram-negative bacteria through the autotransporter pathway. We previously classified SPATE proteins into two classes: cytotoxic (class 1) and noncytotoxic (class 2). Here, we show that Pic, a class 2 SPATE

OBJECTIVE To investigate the role of the epithelium in severe allergic conjunctivitis. METHODS We first investigated the expression of protease-activated receptors (PARs) in cultured human conjunctival epithelial cells and fibroblasts by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. Next, we

OBJECTIVE To characterize the effect that filtrate obtained from cultures of Moraxella bovis has on cultured corneal epithelial cells and other types of cultured mammalian cells. METHODS Cultured hamster corneal epithelial cells, bovine epithelial cells, and several transformed cell lines exposed to

OBJECTIVE The presence of the active form of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2 and an increased concentration of tryptase are characteristics of tear fluid of individuals with vernal keratoconjunctivitis. Although tryptase does not mediate the activation of purified MMP-2, we have now examined

This study examines the canine model of keratoconjunctivitis sicca (KCS, 'dry eye') in order to establish the biochemical basis of altered ocular mucin secretion in this condition. It follows a previous examination of ocular mucins in the normal dog. Mucus was collected by suction from the ocular