PMID- 7657550
OWN - NLM
STAT- MEDLINE
DCOM- 19951002
LR  - 20100324
IS  - 0146-0404 (Print)
IS  - 0146-0404 (Linking)
VI  - 36
IP  - 10
DP  - 1995 Sep
TI  - Increased plasma levels of nerve growth factor in vernal keratoconjunctivitis and 
      relationship to conjunctival mast cells.
PG  - 2127-32
AB  - PURPOSE: To evaluate the nerve growth factor (NGF) plasma concentration in 
      patients with vernal keratoconjunctivitis and to correlate it with the 
      histopathology and immunopathology of the disease. METHODS: An immunoenzymatic 
      assay was performed to measure NGF plasma levels in patients with vernal 
      keratoconjunctivitis and in healthy matched controls. A competitive 
      radioimmunoassay was used to detect eosinophil cationic protein (ECP) and total 
      specific immunoglobulin E (IgE) serum levels. Histologic evaluation was performed 
      in tarsal and bulbar conjunctival biopsies. RESULTS: Plasma levels of NGF were 
      significantly higher (P < 0.001) in patients with vernal keratoconjunctivitis 
      (mean = 8224.47 +/- 7802.53 pg/ml; median = 121 pg/ml) than in controls (mean = 
      51.68 +/- 5.94 pg/ml; median 42.5 pg/ml). Conjunctival tissue showed a 
      significant increase of mast cells, eosinophils, and lymphocytes in vernal 
      keratoconjunctivitis. A significant correlation was observed between plasma 
      levels of NGF and the number of mast cells in the tarsal conjunctiva (Cc = 0.81; 
      P < 0.005) and bulbar conjunctiva (Cc = 0.77; P < 0.01) of patients with vernal 
      keratoconjunctivitis. No correlation was found between NGF plasma levels and 
      total IgE serum levels in patients with vernal keratoconjunctivitis; NGF plasma 
      levels were inversely related to the number of circulating eosinophils (Cc = 
      -0.61; P < 0.05) and to the increased serum levels of ECP (Cc = -0.71; P < 0.02). 
      CONCLUSIONS: These data represent the first reported evidence of increased NGF 
      plasma levels in an allergic human disease and suggest a possible relationship 
      between this neurotrophic polypeptide and inflammatory cells in vernal 
      keratoconjunctivitis.
FAU - Lambiase, A
AU  - Lambiase A
AD  - Department of Ophthalmology, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Italy.
FAU - Bonini, S
AU  - Bonini S
FAU - Bonini, S
AU  - Bonini S
FAU - Micera, A
AU  - Micera A
FAU - Magrini, L
AU  - Magrini L
FAU - Bracci-Laudiero, L
AU  - Bracci-Laudiero L
FAU - Aloe, L
AU  - Aloe L
LA  - eng
PT  - Journal Article
PL  - United States
TA  - Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci
JT  - Investigative ophthalmology & visual science
JID - 7703701
RN  - 0 (Blood Proteins)
RN  - 0 (Eosinophil Granule Proteins)
RN  - 0 (Inflammation Mediators)
RN  - 0 (Nerve Growth Factors)
RN  - 37341-29-0 (Immunoglobulin E)
RN  - EC 3.1.- (Ribonucleases)
SB  - IM
MH  - Adolescent
MH  - Adult
MH  - Blood Proteins/analysis
MH  - Cell Count
MH  - Child
MH  - Child, Preschool
MH  - Conjunctiva/*pathology
MH  - Conjunctivitis, Allergic/*blood/immunology/pathology
MH  - Eosinophil Granule Proteins
MH  - Eosinophils/pathology
MH  - Female
MH  - Humans
MH  - Immunoenzyme Techniques
MH  - Immunoglobulin E/analysis
MH  - Inflammation Mediators/analysis
MH  - Lymphocytes/pathology
MH  - Male
MH  - Mast Cells/*pathology
MH  - Nerve Growth Factors/*blood
MH  - Radioimmunoassay
MH  - *Ribonucleases
EDAT- 1995/09/01 00:00
MHDA- 1995/09/01 00:01
CRDT- 1995/09/01 00:00
PHST- 1995/09/01 00:00 [pubmed]
PHST- 1995/09/01 00:01 [medline]
PHST- 1995/09/01 00:00 [entrez]
PST - ppublish
SO  - Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 1995 Sep;36(10):2127-32.