- Email: [email protected]
Dying to see
P
REVIOUS STUDIES HAVE SUGGESTED THAT INTRAVE-
nous immunoglobulin (IVIG) may be helpful in the treatment of acute and chronic optic neuritis, although this remained debated. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of IVIG in the acute phase of optic neuritis (ON) could improve visual outcome and reduce MRI disease activity 6 months after onset of ON. Sixtyeight patients with ON were randomized within 4 weeks from onset of visual loss. Thirty-four patients were randomized to IVIG 0.4 g/kg body wt, and 34 patients were randomized to placebo. Infusions were given at days 0, 1, 2, 30, and 60. Contrast sensitivity, visual acuity, and color vision were measured at baseline and after 1 week, 1 month, and 6 months. Pattern reversal visual evoked potential studies and gadolinium-enhanced MRI were performed at baseline and after 1 month and 6 months. Clinical relapses during follow-up were recorded. The authors found no difference in contrast sensitivity after 6 months, between patients randomized to treatment with IVIG or placebo. Additionally, there was no significant difference in the secondary outcome measures, improvement in the visual function measures, and MRI, at any time during follow-up. At baseline, a significantly higher number of patients in the IVIG group had one or more enhancing lesions on MRI and IVIG-treated patients had a significantly higher number of enhancing lesions on MRI than patients treated with placebo. No difference was found in number of patients with one or more enhancing lesions or number of enhancing lesions in subsequent scans between treatment groups. Number of relapses was equal in the two treatment groups during follow-up. This study showed no effect of IVIG on long-term visual function following acute optic neuritis, nor was there an effect of IVIG treatment in reducing latency on visual evoked potentials and thus preserving function of axons of the optic nerve.—Valérie Biousse. *Dr H.G. Roed, MS Clinic, Department of Neurology, University of Copenhagen, Glostrup Hospital, DK-2600 Glostrup, Denmark; e-mail: [email protected]
●
of how the lens tightly controls cell suicide could reveal ways to treat debilitating conditions characterized by excessive or inappropriate cell death, chief among them Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease and chronic infections such as AIDS.—Hans E. Grossniklaus *R.D. Dahm, Max Planck Institute for Developmental Biology, Uübingen, Germany.
●
Observation of lymphatic vessels in orbital fat of patients with inflammatory conditions: a form fruste of lymph angiogenesis? Fogt F*, Zimmerman RL, Daly T Gausas RE. Int J Mol Med 2004;13:681– 683.
I
N THE ABSENCE OF ANTIBODIES SPECIFIC FOR LYMPHATIC
vessels, analysis of lymphatic vessels within different tissues has been widely performed with light microscopic and, most importantly, electron microscopic techniques. Controversy remains about the specific distribution of lymphatic channels in the globe and the periocular structures. It is postulated that bulbar and retrobulbar tissues are devoid of lymphatic vessels, but lymphatic vessels have been demonstrated in lacrimal gland and epibulbar conjunctiva. In this study, the authors analyzed orbital fat for the presence of lymphatic tissue by use of D2-40, a monoclonal antibody, specific for lymphatic vessels. The authors found lymphatic vessels present within bulbar conjunctiva extending to the level of the ciliary apparatus. No lymphatics were identified in healthy anterior orbital adipose tissue. In two cases of orbital mucormycosis and one case of pan endophthalmitis, lymphovascular proliferation was present within granulation tissue associated with the acute inflammation. The conclusion was that lymph vessel proliferation may be induced in inflammatory conditions in tissues that are normally devoid of lymph channels.—Hans E. Grossniklaus
*F. Fogt, Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Presbyterian Medical Center, Philadelphia, PA 19104; e-mail: [email protected]
Dying to see. Dahm RD*. Sci Am 2004;291:82– 89. ●
T
HIS ARTICLE REPORTS THAT RESEARCH OF THE LENS OF
the eye could reveal ways to prevent cataracts and also illuminate the biology of Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and other diseases in which cells “commit suicide”. The lens is the only transparent tissue in the human body. In the past few years, scientists have determined that this transparency-critical for focusing light-stems in large part from the unique ability of the lens to activate a self-destruct program in its cells that aborts just before completion, leaving sustainable cells that transmit visible light. A better understanding of how lens cells become and remain transparent should suggest ways to prevent lens-clouding cataracts. Beyond protecting vision, improved knowledge VOL. 140, NO. 1
A novel in vitro retinal differentiation model by coculturing adult human bone marrow stem cells with retinal pigmented epithelium cells. Chiou SH*, Kao CL, Peng CH, Chen SJ, Tarng YW, Ku HH, Chen YC, Shyr YM, Liu RS, Hsu CJ, Yang DM, Hsu WM, Kuo CD, Lee CH. Biochem Biophys Res Com 2005; 326:578 –585.
H
UMAN RETINAL PIGMENT EPITHELIUM (HRPE) CELLS
are important in maintaining the normal physiology within the neurosensory retina and photoreceptors. Recently, transplantation of HRPE has become a possible therapeutic approach for retinal degeneration. By negative immunoselection (CD45 and glycophorin A), in this study, adult human bone marrow stem cells (BMSCs) were
ABSTRACTS
171
REVIOUS STUDIES HAVE SUGGESTED THAT INTRAVE-
nous immunoglobulin (IVIG) may be helpful in the treatment of acute and chronic optic neuritis, although this remained debated. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of IVIG in the acute phase of optic neuritis (ON) could improve visual outcome and reduce MRI disease activity 6 months after onset of ON. Sixtyeight patients with ON were randomized within 4 weeks from onset of visual loss. Thirty-four patients were randomized to IVIG 0.4 g/kg body wt, and 34 patients were randomized to placebo. Infusions were given at days 0, 1, 2, 30, and 60. Contrast sensitivity, visual acuity, and color vision were measured at baseline and after 1 week, 1 month, and 6 months. Pattern reversal visual evoked potential studies and gadolinium-enhanced MRI were performed at baseline and after 1 month and 6 months. Clinical relapses during follow-up were recorded. The authors found no difference in contrast sensitivity after 6 months, between patients randomized to treatment with IVIG or placebo. Additionally, there was no significant difference in the secondary outcome measures, improvement in the visual function measures, and MRI, at any time during follow-up. At baseline, a significantly higher number of patients in the IVIG group had one or more enhancing lesions on MRI and IVIG-treated patients had a significantly higher number of enhancing lesions on MRI than patients treated with placebo. No difference was found in number of patients with one or more enhancing lesions or number of enhancing lesions in subsequent scans between treatment groups. Number of relapses was equal in the two treatment groups during follow-up. This study showed no effect of IVIG on long-term visual function following acute optic neuritis, nor was there an effect of IVIG treatment in reducing latency on visual evoked potentials and thus preserving function of axons of the optic nerve.—Valérie Biousse. *Dr H.G. Roed, MS Clinic, Department of Neurology, University of Copenhagen, Glostrup Hospital, DK-2600 Glostrup, Denmark; e-mail: [email protected]
●
of how the lens tightly controls cell suicide could reveal ways to treat debilitating conditions characterized by excessive or inappropriate cell death, chief among them Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease and chronic infections such as AIDS.—Hans E. Grossniklaus *R.D. Dahm, Max Planck Institute for Developmental Biology, Uübingen, Germany.
●
Observation of lymphatic vessels in orbital fat of patients with inflammatory conditions: a form fruste of lymph angiogenesis? Fogt F*, Zimmerman RL, Daly T Gausas RE. Int J Mol Med 2004;13:681– 683.
I
N THE ABSENCE OF ANTIBODIES SPECIFIC FOR LYMPHATIC
vessels, analysis of lymphatic vessels within different tissues has been widely performed with light microscopic and, most importantly, electron microscopic techniques. Controversy remains about the specific distribution of lymphatic channels in the globe and the periocular structures. It is postulated that bulbar and retrobulbar tissues are devoid of lymphatic vessels, but lymphatic vessels have been demonstrated in lacrimal gland and epibulbar conjunctiva. In this study, the authors analyzed orbital fat for the presence of lymphatic tissue by use of D2-40, a monoclonal antibody, specific for lymphatic vessels. The authors found lymphatic vessels present within bulbar conjunctiva extending to the level of the ciliary apparatus. No lymphatics were identified in healthy anterior orbital adipose tissue. In two cases of orbital mucormycosis and one case of pan endophthalmitis, lymphovascular proliferation was present within granulation tissue associated with the acute inflammation. The conclusion was that lymph vessel proliferation may be induced in inflammatory conditions in tissues that are normally devoid of lymph channels.—Hans E. Grossniklaus
*F. Fogt, Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Presbyterian Medical Center, Philadelphia, PA 19104; e-mail: [email protected]
Dying to see. Dahm RD*. Sci Am 2004;291:82– 89. ●
T
HIS ARTICLE REPORTS THAT RESEARCH OF THE LENS OF
the eye could reveal ways to prevent cataracts and also illuminate the biology of Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and other diseases in which cells “commit suicide”. The lens is the only transparent tissue in the human body. In the past few years, scientists have determined that this transparency-critical for focusing light-stems in large part from the unique ability of the lens to activate a self-destruct program in its cells that aborts just before completion, leaving sustainable cells that transmit visible light. A better understanding of how lens cells become and remain transparent should suggest ways to prevent lens-clouding cataracts. Beyond protecting vision, improved knowledge VOL. 140, NO. 1
A novel in vitro retinal differentiation model by coculturing adult human bone marrow stem cells with retinal pigmented epithelium cells. Chiou SH*, Kao CL, Peng CH, Chen SJ, Tarng YW, Ku HH, Chen YC, Shyr YM, Liu RS, Hsu CJ, Yang DM, Hsu WM, Kuo CD, Lee CH. Biochem Biophys Res Com 2005; 326:578 –585.
H
UMAN RETINAL PIGMENT EPITHELIUM (HRPE) CELLS
are important in maintaining the normal physiology within the neurosensory retina and photoreceptors. Recently, transplantation of HRPE has become a possible therapeutic approach for retinal degeneration. By negative immunoselection (CD45 and glycophorin A), in this study, adult human bone marrow stem cells (BMSCs) were
ABSTRACTS
171