Microenvironment in the aqueous humor have a pivotal role in the survival of the corneal endothelial cells after corneal transplantation

2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 15K10906
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Ophthalmology
• Research Institution: Tokyo Dental College
• Principal Investigator: Takefumi Yamaguchi 東京歯科大学, 歯学部, 講師 (20383771)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 栗原 俊英 慶應義塾大学, 医学部, 助教 (50365342)
• Project Period (FY): 2015-04-01 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: 角膜移植 / 慢性炎症 / サイトカイン / バイオマーカー

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We characterized the cytokine elevation patterns in the aqueous humor (AqH) of virous kind corneal diseases in different patterns, suggesting the disease-specific pathological inflammatory responses in different corneal diseases, such as pseudophakic bullous keratopathy (PBK), laser iridotomy and Fuchs endothelial dystrophy (FED). Furthermore, we demonstrated that preoperative specific cytokine levels were associated with the rapid reduction of corneal endothelial cell density (CECD) after corneal transplantation. Collectively, our results suggested that the chronic inflammatory response in the AqH leads to CECD loss. In future studies, we will develop the diagnostic and therapeutic system based on the AqH condition, which we believe will improve the prognosis of corneal transplatation.

Free Research Field

眼科学