Investigative ophthalmology & visual science
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Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci. · Jul 2005
Down-regulation of IFN-gamma-producing CD56+ T cells after combined low-dose cyclosporine/prednisone treatment in patients with Behçet's uveitis.
To investigate the effects of combined low-dose cyclosporine and prednisone (Cs/Pd) treatment on circulating CD56+ T cells in patients with Behçet's uveitis. ⋯ The results imply that Cs/Pd treatment for Behçet's uveitis selectively affects the population of and the cytokine expression in CD56+ T cells, but without significant changes in CD56- T cells, and that IFN-gamma-producing CD56+ T cells are the central pathogenic immune cells in Behçet's uveitis.
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Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci. · Jul 2005
Thymosin-beta4 modulates corneal matrix metalloproteinase levels and polymorphonuclear cell infiltration after alkali injury.
Corneal alkali injury is highly caustic, and present clinical therapies are limited. The purpose of this study was to investigate the ability of thymosin-beta4 (Taubeta4) to promote healing in an alkali injury model and the mechanisms involved in that process. ⋯ Tbeta4 treatment decreases corneal inflammation and modulates the MMP/TIMP balance and thereby promotes corneal wound repair and clarity after alkali injury. These results suggest that Tbeta4 may be useful clinically to treat severe inflammation-mediated corneal injuries.