BackgroundThe ocular presentation of Castleman’s disease (CD)-associated paraneoplastic pemphigus (PNP) has rarely been reported. In this report, we describe a young patient with CD-associated PNP who had recurrent corneal ulceration in addition to cicatrizing conjunctivitis.Case presentationWe describe a case of 23-year-old male with mucocutaneous erosion and conjunctival injection and erosion who was found to have PNP. Pelvic hyaline-vascular CD was detected and completely excised. The mucocutaneous lesions improved postoperatively. Two years after pelvic surgery, the patient gradually developed conjunctival symblepharon in both eyes and pterygium in the right eye. The patient then underwent a successful exclusion of the symblepharon, an excision of the pterygium and an amniotic membrane transplantation in the right eye. However, after 6 months, he experienced an aseptic corneal ulcer and recurrent pterygiumin the right eye. After treatment with systemic and local immunosuppressive medications, the corneal ulcer gradually healed and remained stable.ConclusionCorneal ulceration and melting, in addition to conjunctivitis, as a complication of CD-associated PNP, can be successfully managed with systemic and local immunosuppressants.

BackgroundTo evaluate the effect of bradykinin (BK) on TGF-β1-induced retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cell proliferation and extracellular matrix secretion and to elucidate the relationship between BK and the Erk/Akt signaling pathway.MethodsThe effects of BK on TGF-β1-induced RPE cell proliferation were examined via CCK-8 assay. Cell culture supernatant collagen I concentrations were measured via ELISA. Fibronectin (Fn), matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) and MMP-9 mRNA and protein expression levels were measured via q-PCR and Western blotting, respectively. Changes in Akt/Erk phosphorylation induced by BK and HOE-140 were evaluated via Western blotting.ResultsTGF-β1 stimulated ARPE-19 cell proliferation, which was inhibited by BK, whose effects were inhibited by HOE-140. BK inhibited TGF-β1-induced collagen I, Fn and MMP-2 secretion in RPE cells, and these effects were inhibited by HOE-140. BK also inhibited TGF-β1-induced Akt phosphorylation in RPE cells, and these effects were blocked by HOE-140. BK had no significant effect on Erk-mediated signaling.ConclusionsThe findings from this study indicate that BK could be novel therapeutic targets for the treatment of PVR.

BackgroundTo investigate the effectiveness of orthokeratology (ortho-k) in reducing the development of myopia in Chinese children with low to moderate myopia.MethodsThis was a retrospective study. In the ortho-k group, there were141 subjects, and the average age was (9.43 ± 1.10) years. The average spherical equivalent refractive error (SER) was (−2.74 ± 1.15)D, with examinations performed 1, 7, 30, and 90 days and 12 months after the patients started wearing ortho-k lenses. In the control group, there were 130 subjects, and the average age was (9.37 ± 1.00) years. The average SER was (−2.88 ± 1.39)D, with examinations performed every 6 months. Axial elongation, which is an important parameter reflecting the progression of myopia, was measured at baseline from the same IOLMaster each time by the same masked examiner and was compared between the groups after 1 year. The subjects were divided into two sub-groups according to age to further study the development of myopia at different ages. An unpaired t-test, paired t-test, Chi-square test and Spearman test were performed to analyze the data.ResultsAfter 1 year, the average axial elongation was (0.27 ± 0.17) mm in the ortho-k lens group and (0.38 ± 0.13) mm in the control group, with a significant difference between the groups (P < 0.001). Axial elongation was not correlated with SER but had a negative correlation with initial age (ortho-k group: rs = −0.309, p < 0.01; control group: rs = −0.472, p < 0.01). The percentages of individuals with fast myopic progression (axial elongation > 0.36 mm per year) were 38.0 % among younger children (7.00 to 9.40 years) and 24.3 % among older children (9.40 to 12.00 years), whereas the respective percentages were 76.5 and 12.9 % in the control group. When SER ranged from -5.0D to −6.0D, the axial elongation in the ortho-k group was 57.1 % slower than that in the control group.ConclusionsOrtho-k lenses are effective in controlling myopic progression in Chinese children, particularly in younger children and in children with higher myopia.