Search

dem intraoperativen Verlauf sowie dem postoperativen Verlauf, insbesondere der Sickerkissenentwicklung.

We have recently described induction of apoptosis in transformed fibroblasts by transforming growth factor type beta (TGF-beta)-treated normal fibroblasts, which leads to the specific elimination of transformed cells. Here we investigate whether the ability to eliminate transformed cells is the property of a specialized subpopulation of normal fibroblasts or whether all cells within the population are able to respond to exogenous TGF-beta by induction of elimination of transformed cells. Clonal analysis of the eliminative capacity of normal fibroblasts showed that all cells are able to induce elimination after addition of optimal concentrations of exogenous TGF-beta. In the absence of exogenously added TGF-beta, a minority of clones exhibited complete eliminative activity. Neither the ability nor the inability to perform elimination in the absence of exogenous TGF-beta was a stable characteristic of the respective cell clones. The number of cell clones with the ability to respond to suboptimal concentrations of TGF-beta increased with the passage number of the normal cells, whereas the number of clones inducing apoptosis in the absence of exogenous TGF-beta remained constant.

To investigate the transforming growth factor beta 2 (TGF-beta 2) levels and total protein levels in the aqueous humor of eyes with different types of glaucoma [primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG), pseudoexfoliation glaucoma (PSX), juvenile glaucoma (JG)], and the relation to filtering bleb development after trabeculectomy.Aqueous humor was collected at the beginning of surgery from 52 eyes with glaucoma (29 POAG eyes, 17 PSX eyes, 6 JG eyes) and from 29 control eyes that underwent cataract operation. TGF-beta 2 levels (intrinsically activated and total TGF-beta 2) using ELISA methods as well as total protein concentrations of the aqueous humor were determined. All preoperative clinical data of the glaucoma eyes (age, gender, IOP, previous treatment, type of surgery) were compared with the TGF-beta 2 levels. In 40 of these eyes, the postoperative follow-up (filtering bleb development, need for intervention, IOP) was correlated to the preoperatively determined TGF-beta 2 levels.TGF-beta 2 levels were increased in nearly half of the eyes with POAG and in most of the eyes with JG, but in eyes with PSX, TGF-beta 2 levels were within the normal range. No correlation between TGF-beta 2 levels and age, gender, IOP, previous treatment, or type of surgery, or between TGF-beta 2 levels and protein levels in aqueous humor, was found. Correlation between bleb formation and TGF-beta 2 levels revealed that all but two of the POAG eyes with good clinical outcome (type 1 bleb) had normal levels of activated TGF-beta 2. Of the 13 eyes that needed postoperative intervention (type 2 and type 3 bleb), 8 had high and 5 had normal TGF-beta 2 levels.PSX eyes differ from POAG and JG eyes not only by their clinical or biomicroscopic appearance, but also by their normal TGF-beta 2 levels in aqueous humor. The fact that most of the POAG eyes with favorable bleb development had normal TGF-beta 2 levels indicated that there might be some relationship between bleb formation and TGF-beta 2 levels. On the other hand, the fact that eyes with less favorable bleb development had both low and high TGF-beta 2 levels indicated that other factors are also involved in the scarring of the filtration bleb.

The long-term success of filtering surgery is not dependent on surgical technique alone. The development of the filtering bleb in the postoperative period, in particular with regard to wound healing and subconjunctival scarring, is equally important. Morphologic changes of the developing filtering bleb after trabeculectomy can predict early failure even if the intraocular pressure is still normal. A basic understanding of wound healing processes and histologic changes of the developing filtering bleb are mandatory to interpret correctly the morphologic appearance of the developing filtering bleb. In clinical practice, follow-up of the filtering bleb according to a standardized morphologic classification may help to predict outcome and provide clues for the necessity and timing of further treatment.

PURPOSE: Acetazolamide and CO2 are cerebral vasodilators whose specific effects in various brain regions have not been carefully defined. We investigated the effects of these agents in both larger cerebral and smaller, retrobulbar arteries, to compare their general cerebral vasodilatory influence with their specific ocular vascular effects. METHODS: Twelve young adults with healthy eyes were studied under normocapnic and hypercapnic (6% CO2, 94% O2 tanked gas) conditions after receiving either placebo or 1,000 mg acetazolamide (3 h before study). Color Doppler imaging was used to measure peak systolic and end-diastolic velocities (PSV and EDV) in the internal carotid, middle cerebral, ophthalmic, and central retinal arteries under each condition. RESULTS: Acetazolamide and CO2 each lowered intraocular pressure; combining the agents provided no additive ocular hypotensive effect. Hypercapnia or acetazolamide per se failed to alter PSV, EDV, or the derived resistance index [RI; (PSV-EDV)/PSV] in the internal carotid or in either orbital artery. However, when hypercapnia was superimposed upon acetazolamide, the resistance index fell in the internal carotid and central retinal arteries (each p < 0.05). In contrast, the middle cerebral artery was responsive to either vasodilator and to their combination: PSV and EDV rose, and RI fell with each experimental treatment. CONCLUSIONS: In the brain, the middle cerebral artery exhibits substantial dependence of flow velocity on the vasodilators CO2 and acetazolamide. In contrast, the ophthalmic and central retinal arteries appear less responsive. Nonetheless, the combination of carbonic anhydrase inhibition (acetazolamide) with CO2 augmentation did lower vascular resistance distal to the central retinal artery, suggesting that this mechanism vasodilates critical ocular tissues.