Cutaneous and Ocular Toxicology最新文献

Objective: To explore the retinal toxicity of pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs), flame retardants, bisphenols, phthalates, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) on human retinal progenitor cells (RPCs) and retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells, which are the primary cell types at the early stages of retinal development, vital for subsequent functional cell type differentiation, and closely related to retinal diseases.

Materials and methods: After 23 days of differentiation, human embryonic stem cell (hESC)-based retinal pre-organoids, containing RPCs and RPE cells, were exposed to 10, 100, and 1000 nM pesticides (butachlor, terbutryn, imidacloprid, deltamethrin, pendimethalin, and carbaryl), flame retardants (PFOS, TBBPA, DBDPE, and TDCIPP), PPCPs (climbazole and BHT), and other typical pollutants (phenanthrene, DCHP, and BPA) for seven days. Then, mRNA expression changes were monitored and compared.

Results: (1) The selected pollutants did not show strong effects at environmental and human-relevant concentrations, although the effects of flame retardants were more potent than those of other categories of chemicals. Surprisingly, some pollutants with distinct structures showed similar adverse effects. (2) Exposure to pollutants induced different degrees of cell detachment, probably due to alterations in extracellular matrix and/or cell adhesion.

Conclusions: In this study, we established a retinal pre-organoid model suitable for evaluating multiple pollutants' effects, and pointed out the potential retinal toxicity of flame retardants, among other pollutants. Nevertheless, the potential mechanisms of toxicity and the effects on cell detachment are still unclear and deserve further exploration. Additionally, this model holds promise for screening interventions aimed at mitigating the detrimental effects of these pollutants.

Amphetamines are the second most commonly used illicit drug worldwide. Amphetamine use can result in significant cutaneous morbidity. This review highlights the dermatological manifestations of amphetamine abuse.

Purpose: This study aims to evaluate the influence of smoking on ganglion cell-inner plexiform layer complex (GC-IPL) thickness and central macular thickness (CMT) measured by spectral domain optical coherence tomography (OCT) in male diabetes.

Methods: 90 smoking and 90 never-smoking male subjects were included in this study. They were divided into six groups based on the diagnostic criteria for diabetes and the Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study (ETDRS) classification: smoking healthy subjects (SH, n = 20), non-smoking healthy subjects (NSH, n = 20), smoking diabetic patients without diabetic retinopathy (SNDR, n = 40), non-smoking diabetic patients without diabetic retinopathy (NSNDR, n = 40), smoking diabetic patients with diabetic retinopathy (SDR, n = 30), and non-smoking diabetic patients with diabetic retinopathy (NSDR, n = 30). After a full ophthalmologic examination, GC-IPL thickness and central macular thickness (CMT) were measured by OCT. Statistical analysis was performed to compare GC-IPL thickness and CMT between groups. Multiple linear regression equations were constructed to explore the potential risk factors of mean GC-IPL thickness.

Results: There were no significant differences in GC-IPL thickness and CMT between SH and NSH (all p > 0.05). Mean, superonasal, superior, superotemporal, inferonasal, inferior GC-IPL (p＜0.001, p＜0.001, p＜0.001, p = 0.003, p = 0.001, and p = 0.005, respectively) were thinner in the SNDR than NSNDR except for inferotemporal GC-IPL thickness and CMT (p = 0.066, p = 0.605, respectively). Mean, superonasal, superior, and inferonasal GC-IPL were thinner in the SDR than NSDR (p = 0.019, p = 0.045, p = 0.037, and p = 0.049, respectively). Multiple regression analysis demonstrated that age (β [SE], -0.141 [0.060]; p = 0.020) and smoking (β [SE], -4.470 [1.015]; p＜0.001) were the most important determinants for mean GC-IPL thickness.

Conclusion: Smoking is associated with reduced retinal GC-IPL thickness in male diabetes. Smoking behavior and age are important determinants of mean GC-IPL thickness.

Purpose: To assess the effect of hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) on corneal endothelial structure and anterior segment parameters in healthy eyes.

Methods: 17 eyes of 17 patients who were scheduled to receive HBOT for other than ophthalmologic indications were investigated in this prospective study. Central corneal thickness (CCT) and corneal endothelial properties were evaluated using a specular microscope. Endothelial cell density (ECD), average cell area (AVG), coefficient of variation in cell size (CV), percentage of hexagonal cells (HEX), CCT, intraocular pressure (IOP), spherical equivalent (SE), axial length (AL) and anterior chamber depth (ACD) values were measured before the HBOT, after the 1st session, and after the 20th session of therapy.

Results: 47% of the patients (n = 8) received HBOT because of avascular necrosis, 35% (n = 6) due to sudden hearing loss, 12% (n = 2) for diabetic foot, and 6% (n = 1) for wound infection. The mean IOP was 14,80 mmHg before HBOT, 14,20 mmHg after the 1st session, and 13,73 mmHg after the 20th session. The mean ACD was 3,38 mm before HBOT, 3,34 mm after the 1st session, and 3,16 mm after the 20th session. Although the mean IOP and ACD decreased after HBOT sessions, it was not statistically significant (p > 0.05). A significant reduction was observed in SE values after 20 sessions of HBOT compared to the values measured before HBOT (p = 0,009). The mean ECD was 2572,53 ± 261,51 cells/mm² before HBOT, 2554,47 ± 236,13 after the 1st session, and 2563,13 ± 226,92 after the 20th session. When the corneal properties measured before and after HBOT sessions were compared, no significant difference was found in terms of CCT, ECD, AVG, CV, and HEX (p > 0.05).

Conclusion: We observed no significant change in CCT, corneal endothelial layer properties, and anterior segment morphology after the 1st session, and after the 20th session of HBOT. Although HBOT reduced IOP and ACD, it was not statistically significant. HBOT may lead to a significant decrease in SE values after the 20th session.

Introduction: Ophthalmic sponges are used for cleaning the eye surface and absorbing fluids during ophthalmic procedures. This study compared the biological safety and stability of a new ophthalmic sponge, Occucell® (OccuTech Inc, Seongnam, Korea), on the human conjunctival epithelial cells with those of preexisting products to evaluate its clinical application.Materials and Methods: The cytotoxicity of four products, Occucell, a new product, Ultracell^®, Eyetec-1, and Eyetec-2, on conjunctival epithelial cells, was evaluated using the MTT (3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide) analysis. Additionally, human conjunctival epithelial cells were stained with a Live & Dead marker and observed using a fluorescence microscope. To evaluate the effect of the ophthalmic sponges on the secretion of IL-1β and TNF-α, cultured conjunctival epithelial cells were treated with 0.5% DMSO eluates of the ophthalmic sponges, and IL-1β and TNF-α mRNA levels were estimated using real-time polymerase chain reaction assays.Results: Cells treated with Occucell showed comparable viability to those treated with other preexisting products. Conjunctival epithelial cells showed more than 90% viability when treated with the ophthalmic sponge extracts, as determined by the MTT assay. No significant differences in the number of live & dead cells were observed between the control and treatment groups. Cells treated with all four ophthalmic sponge eluates showed similar IL-1β and TNF-α mRNA levels.Discussion: Occucell, an eye sponge used during ophthalmic surgery in clinical practice, did not affect the viability of conjunctival epithelial cells, and more than 90% of the cells were viable after the treatment. Further, Occucell showed similar effects on IL-1β and TNF-α secretion as that of other ophthalmic sponges used in the clinic. This suggested that Occucell is a safe product comparable to the preexisting products.

The objective of the current study was to evaluate Low-level laser therapy (LLLT) on the healing of incisional wounds following ovariohysterectomy in rats, by means of subjective histopathological and immunohistochemical analysis. A total of 72 female Wistar rats were categorised into four treatment groups (Group I; sacrification 4 hours following only one LLLT application, Group II; sacrification 7 days following only one LLLT application, Group III; sacrification 4 hours after two LLLT applications, and Group IV; sacrification 7 days after two LLLT applications). Each group was further divided into four different doses subgroups (Group Control [C, off mode LLLT application], L₁ [1 J/cm²], L₃ [3 J/cm²], and L₆ [6 J/cm²]), with equal representation in each subgroup. Ovariohysterectomy was employed using two 2-cm-length midline abdominal incisions in the left and right sides of line alba. The Group C was assigned to the left side incision to each rat in the study. After irradiation, the tissue was subjected to histopathological analysis to determine the extent of mononuclear cell infiltration, edoema, and epithelialization. Additionally, immunohistochemical analysis was performed to evaluate the expression of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (pCNA) and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS). Group L₁ and L₃ significantly decreased mononuclear cell infiltration compared with Group C in all treatment groups (p < 0.05). Group L₃ significantly decreased edoema compared with Group C in all groups except for treatment Group I (p < 0.05). Group L₂ and L₃ significantly increased epithelization in treatment Group IV (p < 0.05). Moreover, Group L₂ and L₃ significantly increased pCNA in all groups, while L₂ and L₃ significantly decreased iNOS expression in treatment Group II, III, and IV (p < 0.05). However, no statistical difference was found between subgroups of treatment Group I in iNOS expiration (p > 0.05). The results of the current examination demonstrated that LLLT can modulate mononuclear cell infiltration and edoema, and improve epithelization, as well as increase pCNA expression, whereas decrease iNOS expression during the wound healing process, therefore enhancing wound healing following ovariohysterectomy in rats.

Background: People frequently experience discomfort with immediate wheal, delayed papules, and pruritus from mosquito bites. A topical cream product containing zinc oxide is commercially available for the management of insect bites, but there has been no published evidence for its effectiveness and safety.

Aims: To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of this product in symptoms caused by mosquito bites.

Methods: An open-label, controlled study was performed on 41 healthy participants. All subjects received Aedes aegypti mosquito bites on the forearm. Then test product was randomly applied to the bitten areas of the left or right arm. The other arm was left untreated (control). The onset of pruritus relief was noted. The severity of pruritus was assessed using a visual analogue scale (VAS), ranging from 0 mm (no pruritus) to 100 mm (severe pruritus), and a 4-point pruritus score (0 = none; 1 = mild, not affecting normal activities; 2 = moderate, affecting normal activities to some extent; 3 = severe, significantly affecting activities) at four time points: 15 minutes after the mosquito bite (baseline), as well as 1 hour, 24 hours, and 48 hours after initiating treatment. The size of the bite reaction lesion was also measured at all time points. Any local cutaneous adverse reactions observed during the study were documented.

Results: The onset of pruritus relief in the treated group (25 ± 21.7 minutes) was significantly faster compared to the untreated group (118.7 ± 304.8 minutes). The reduction in VAS score at 1 hour was significantly greater in the product group (30.5 ± 16.22) compared to the control group (14.9 ± 9.9). Moreover, there was a significant difference in the reduction of pruritus score at 1 hour, with the product group (1.1 ± 0.5) showing a higher reduction compared to the control group (0.3 ± 0.4). However, there was no significant difference in the reduction of bite lesion size between the two groups. Throughout the study, no adverse events were reported.

Conclusion: Our preliminary findings indicate that the product effectively reduces pruritus caused by mosquito bites but does not have a significant impact on the size of the bite lesions. The product was found to be safe and may be an option for managing mosquito bites pruritus.

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the early effects of intravitreal anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) agents on the cornea and visual acuity in patients with diabetic retinopathy (DR).

Methods: This retrospective study enrolled patients who were administered conbercept or ranibizumab to treat DR. Fundus photograph, fluorescein angiograph, and optical coherence tomography were preoperatively performed. The patients were classified into two groups: nonproliferative DR (NPDR) and PDR. Best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), specular microscopy, central corneal thickness (CCT), and intraocular pressure were obtained before injection and at 1 day and 7 days after injection. The effects of anti-VEGF agents on BCVA and CCT were compared between the groups receiving conbercept and ranibizumab and between NPDR and PDR eyes.

Results: A total 38 eyes (30 patients) were enrolled in this study. Twenty-one eyes received conbercept, and 17 eyes received ranibizumab. Twenty eyes were classified as NPDR and 18 eyes as PDR. No significant differences were found between the groups receiving conbercept and ranibizumab in the increase in BCVA nor in the increase of CCT at 1 day and 7 days after injection. As compared with NPDR eyes, PDR eyes demonstrated a significantly greater increase in CCT (-5.3 ± 3.7 vs. 6.5 ± 2.9 μm, P = 0.02 < 0.05) but not in BCVA (P = 0.33) at 1 day after injection. At 7 days after injection, no significant differences were found in the increase in BCVA nor in the increase of CCT between NPDR eyes and PDR eyes.

Conclusion: Intravitreal administration of anti-VEGF agents could cause a small but significant greater increase in CCT in PDR than in NPDR eyes in the early period. In patients with DR, no significant difference was found between conbercept and ranibizumab in the early effects on the visual acuity nor in the cornea.

Purpose: Ocular injuries due to Hymenoptera venom are uncommon and most injuries occur on the ocular surface. We reported two rare cases of corneal endothelial damage caused by hornet venom that was sprayed, not injected, through stinging in the eye.

Observations: Case 1: A 57-year-old male patient was injured when a hornet sprayed venom into his left eye. He was referred to our hospital because the edoema and epithelial erosion of the cornea persisted. The patient presented with bullous keratopathy, asymmetrical iris atrophy, irreversible mydriasis, and glaucoma. His cataract progressed, and his best-corrected visual acuity was 0.03. Cataract surgery was performed after anti-inflammatory treatment with steroids, and Descemet-stripping automated endothelial keratoplasty was performed 6 months later. The patient recovered well postoperatively: his best-corrected visual acuity improved to 1.0 and he continued his glaucoma treatment. Case 2: A 75-year-old male patient had damage to his corneal epithelium, severe conjunctivitis, and conjunctival edoema when sprayed hornet venom entered his left eye. At initial presentation, the corneal endothelial cell density had decreased to 1042 cells/mm². The conjunctival sac was washed, and steroid and topical antibacterial instillations were administered. His best-corrected visual acuity improved from 0.07 at the initial visit to 0.5. However, the corneal opacification and glaucoma persisted, and 3 months later the corneal endothelial cell density decreased to 846 cells/mm².

Conclusions and importance: Corneal injuries caused by sprayed hornet venom are rare; however, they can cause intense anterior chamber inflammation and severe, irreversible corneal endothelial damage. In such cases, prompt initial treatment, the administration of adequate anti-inflammatory medication, and careful evaluation of the corneal endothelium are required.

Purpose: To assess the effect of chronic cigarette smoking on corneal and lens densitometry measurements using Pentacam HR and to compare the results obtained with those in non-smokers.

Materials and methods: This cross-sectional comparative study included 40 chronic-smokers and 40 age-matched healthy non-smokers between 18-40 years. After general ophthalmic examination, the Pentacam HR imaging system was used to evaluate corneal and lens densitometry measurements of smokers and non-smokers.

Results: The mean corneal densitometry values were not statistically significantly different in all the concentric zones and layers in the eyes of the smokers and non-smokers (p > 0.05, for all). However, the mean values of zone 1, zone 2, zone 3 and average lens densitometry measurements of the smokers were statistically significantly higher compared to non-smokers (p < 0.05, for all). Additionally, significant positive correlations were detected between the number of pack-years smoked and lens densitometry measurements.

Conclusion: Lens densitometry measurements of smokers were significantly increased while corneal densitometry measurements were not significantly altered compared to non-smokers. Smoking may contribute to cataractogenesis and smoking and age-related changes may act synergistically to cataract development among smokers.