ABSTRACTS

189

Titer levels of anti-B-LMP antibody and anti-rat-LMP antibody were elevated and posterior subcap-sular cataract was developed in Group A. In flatpreparations, a noncellular part in the lens epithe-lium was observed in all members of Group A. Inthis noncellular part, a lens capsule protruding intothe lens epithelial cell layer was observed by lightmicroscopy.

Conclusion

: These data suggest that lens epithelialcells may be damaged by immune response, causingthe development of cataract. (J Jpn Ophthalmol Soc103:713–721, 1999)

Keiko Tanemoto,* Toshiharu Sueno,* Hajime Obazawa,*Toshimichi Shinohara

†

and Akira Akatsuka

‡

*Department of Ophthalmology, Tokai University School of Medicine;

†

The Center for Ophthalmic Research, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston;

‡

Laboratory for Structure and Function Research, Tokai University School of Medicine

PII S0021-5155(99)00204-X

Differential Tyrosine Phosphorylation of Paxillin in Human Corneal Epithelial Cells on Extracellular Matrix Proteins

Purpose

: To understand the interaction of cornealepithelial cells with laminin, fibronectin, and col-lagen type IV, major components of basement mem-brane, we investigated whether tyrosine phosphory-lation of paxillin was increased during attachment ofthese cells to matrix proteins. Paxillin is one of thefocal adhesion proteins and it is tyrosine phosphory-lated during cell adhesion.

Methods

: SV 40-transformed human corneal epithe-lial (HCE) cells were plated on these extracellularmatrix proteins and incubated. The cellular lysateswere submitted to immunoprecipitation and West-ern blotting to determine tyrosine phosphorylationof paxillin.

Results

: When the cells were plated on laminin ma-trix, the stained band indicating tyrosine phosphory-lated paxillin increased in proportion to cultivationperiods. The increase was significant at 6 to 24 hoursof cultivation. When HCE cells were cultured onvarious concentrations of laminin, paxillin was up-regulated in phosphorylation in a dose-dependentfashion. On a fibronectin matrix, tyrosine phospho-rylation of paxillin increased in a time-dependentfashion and peak time point was 6 hours of cultiva-tion. Paxillin was up-regulated in tyrosine phospho-

rylation in direct relation with the fibronectin con-centration. On a type IV collagen matrix, tyrosinephosphorylation of paxillin increased in relation totime, but not so rapidly as cultures on a laminin or fi-bronectin matrix.

Conclusion

: Differential tyrosine phosphorylation ofpaxillin may have been caused by different extracel-lular matrix proteins. (J Jpn Ophthalmol Soc 103:722–728, 1999)

Keiko Ofuji

Department of Ophthalmology, Yamaguchi University School of Medicine

PII S0021-5155(99)00205-1

Effect of Vitamin A Palmitate on Vitamin A-Deficient Rabbits

Purpose

: We examined the effects of vitamin Apalmitate (VA pal) eyedrops on the symptomscaused by vitamin A-deficiency in rabbits.

Methods

: Three-week-old rabbits were raised on avitamin A-deficient diet, and were examined for thequantity of retinol in the serum and the condition ofthe anterior segment of the eye. The vitamin A-defi-cient animals were treated with VA pal eyedrops.

Results

: The retinol in the serum began to decrease 7months after the animals were placed on the vitaminA-deficient diet. After 10 months, superficial punc-tate keratitis and the loss of conjunctival goblet cellswere observed. Treatment of the disease in the ante-rior segment of the eyes with VA pal eyedrops re-sulted in restoration of normal condition within 3weeks. The treatment increased the goblet cells inthe ocular conjunctiva and the retinol in the serum.

Conclusions

: These results show the efficacy of topi-cal VA pal treatment for vitamin A-deficient rabbits.(J Jpn Ophthalmol Soc 103:729–733, 1999)

Yoshikazu Kubo, Akiko Arimura, Yasuo Watanabe,Kiyoo Nakayasu and Atsushi Kanai

Department of Ophthalmology, Juntendo University School of Medicine

PII S0021-5155(99)00206-3

Immunosuppressive Effect of Cholera Toxin B on Allergic Conjunctivitis Model in the Guinea Pig

190

Jpn J OphthalmolVol 44: 187–191, 2000

Purpose

: To investigate the immunosuppressive ef-fects of mucosal immune therapy in experimental al-lergic conjunctivitis.

Method

: We used 11 white Hartrey guinea pigs di-vided into two groups. Six animals (treated group)received pretreatment with topical instillation ofcholera toxin B (4

m

g/30 ml) and ovalbumin (10

m

g/30 ml). The other group of 5 animals served as con-trol. All the animals received intra-abdominal injec-tion of ovalbumin (100 g/mL) and aluminum hydrox-ide (5 mg/mL) repeated twice 2 weeks apart.Allergic conjunctivitis was induced by topical instil-lation of ovalbumin solution (5 mg/mL) 1 week afterthe above procedure.

Result

: Both groups developed palpebral and bulbaredema with hyperemia 30 minutes after instillation.The allergic reaction was significantly less in score inthe treated than in the control group (Mann–Whit-ney

U

-test:

P

,

.01). The clinical findings subsidedafter 6 hours. The treated group showed less eosino-philic infiltration in the conjunctiva and the limbus,particularly in the conjunctival epithelium, than inthe control group at 6 and 24 hours.

Conclusion

: Pretreatment with topical cholera toxinB and antigen suppresses clinical and histologicalfindings in experimentally induced allergic conjunc-tivitis. (J Jpn Ophthalmol Soc 103:734–740, 1999)

Keiko Saito, Jun Shoji, Noriko Inada, Yutaka Iwasaki andMitsuru Sawa

Department of Ophthalmology, Nihon UniversitySchool of Medicine

PII S0021-5155(99)00207-5

Comparison Between Indocyanine Green Angiography and Outcome of Surgical Removal of Choroidal Neovascular Membrane in Age-Related Macular Degeneration

Purpose

: To review the outcome of surgical removalof choroidal neovascular membranes in age-relatedmacular degeneration as classified by indocyaninegreen angiographic findings.

Subjects and Method

: Surgery was performed in 42eyes. They were divided into four types by indocya-nine green angiographic findings prior to surgery.Type I comprised 29 eyes showing hyperfluores-cence throughout the angiographic phases. Type IIcomprised 3 eyes showing hyperfluorescence duringthe early phase only. Type III comprised 5 eyes

showing hyperfluorescence in the late phase only.Type IV comprised 5 eyes without hyperfluores-cence throughout the angiographic phases. The re-sults were evaluated according to the visual acuityexpressed as log MAR before and after surgery.

Results

: Visual acuity improved significantly inTypes I, II, and III after surgery. Visual acuity didnot improve in Type IV.

Conclusion

: The findings of indocyanine green an-giography are thought to reflect the histologicalcharacteristics of the choroidal neovascular mem-brane. Neovascular membranes of Type IV may con-tain a smaller number of vessels and abundant fi-brous tissue. Eyes of Type IV will have atrophies inthe neurosensory retina, retinal pigment epithelium,and choriocapillaris. Surgical removal of the choroi-dal neovascular membrane in Type IV is not effec-tive in improving visual acuity. (J Jpn OphthalmolSoc 103:741–747, 1999)

Takako Isomae, Hiroyuki Shimada, Masami Nakajimaand Mitsuko Yuzawa

Department of Ophthalmology, Surugadai Hospital,Nihon University

PII S0021-5155(99)00208-7

Usefulness of Gaze Tracking During Perimetry in Glaucomatous Eyes

Purpose

: To evaluate the usefulness of a new fixa-tion monitoring system called gaze tracking in theperimetry of glaucomatous eyes.

Subjects and Method

: We studied the visual field of106 eyes in 106 persons, comprising 74 eyes with open-angle glaucoma and 32 eyes with ocular hypertension.Perimetry was performed using a Humphrey VisualField Analyzer 740/750 with a 30-2 full threshold pro-gram. We used two parameters for gaze tracking: thepercentage of the time when the subject’s eye deviatedfrom the fixation target more than 3 degrees (G 3) and6 degrees (G 6). These parameters were assessed inthree groups: those with no visual field defect (groupN), those with absolute visual field defect including theblind spot (group M 1), and others (group M 0).

Result

: The values of G 3 and G 6 were significantlycorrelated with the fixation loss in groups N and M 0(

P

,

.01). These values were not significantly corre-lated with the fixation loss in group M 1 (

P

.

.10).When the fixation loss was less than 20%, G 3 and G6 values were significantly higher in group M 1 thanin groups N or M 0.