Conjunctival Mucin mRNA Expression in Contact Lens Wear
- 1 September 2009
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Ovid Technologies (Wolters Kluwer Health) in Optometry and Vision Science
- Vol. 86 (9), 1051-1058
- https://doi.org/10.1097/opx.0b013e3181b4f02e
Abstract
To investigate the influence of the water content in non-ionic hydrogel contact lenses (HCL) on the mRNA levels of human conjunctival mucin genes (MUCs). Sixteen healthy subjects with no history of contact lenses wear were selected and randomized into two equal groups. Group 1 subjects wore low water content (38%, Soflens 38) non-ionic HCLs. Group 2 wore high water content (66%, Soflens 66) non-ionic HCLs. Conjunctival impression cytology was applied to the superior bulbar conjunctiva of both eyes before, 6 months, and 1 year after HCL fitting, and 15 days after discontinuation of wearing. Total RNA was isolated, retrotranscribed, and amplified by conventional polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and by quantitative real time PCR to study the mRNA levels of MUCs and to analyze variations during the study period. Time- and HCL-dependent variations in mRNA expression were analyzed using Student's test. From the known MUCs, transcripts from MUC1, MUC2, MUC4, MUC5AC, MUC7, MUC13, MUC15, MUC16, and MUC17 genes were detected in all subjects before HCL fitting. Except for MUC2, the expression of some MUC genes significantly increased whereas others significantly decreased at either the 6- and 12-month period. Statistically significant differences between both HCL groups (p < 0.001) were found in the MUC4, MUC13, and MUC15 mRNA expression after 1 year of wear and after the 15 days without HCL wear. However, these differences were not clearly related to the water content of the lenses. Low and high water content non-ionic HCLs induced different changes in the mRNA levels of several MUCs, but the water content was not related to the changes. Recovery to basal levels of conjunctival MUC mRNA expression after wearing HCL lenses for a year takes longer than 15 days for some MUCs.Keywords
This publication has 31 references indexed in Scilit:
- Human Epithelium from Conjunctival Impression Cytology Expresses MUC7 Mucin GeneCornea, 2003
- Expresión de los genes de mucinas MUC13, MUC15, MUC16 y MUC17 en el epitelio conjuntival normal humano in vivoArchivos de la Sociedad Española de Oftalmología, 2003
- MUC7 Expression in the Human Lacrimal Gland and ConjunctivaCornea, 2003
- Levels of mucin gene expression in normal human conjunctival epithelium in vivoCurrent Eye Research, 2003
- Human Conjunctival Epithelium in Culture: A Tool to Assay New Therapeutic Strategies for Dry EyePublished by Springer Science and Business Media LLC ,2002
- Conjunctival impression cytology in contact lens wearersCytopathology, 2001
- Conjunctival Impression Cytology in Patients Wearing Contact LensesCornea, 1997
- Tear Film — Contact Lens InteractionsAdvances in experimental medicine and biology, 1994
- Conjunctival cytology in asymptomatic wearers of soft contact lensesAlbrecht von Graefes Archiv für Ophthalmologie, 1992
- Contact lenses and other risk factors in microbial keratitisThe Lancet, 1991