Therefore, BPDE-like DNA adduct, p53 protein expression and p53 gene mutation were examined in this study to provide more molecular evidence to understand the cause of p53 gene mutation in pterygium.
In analysis of specimens from pterygium patients as well as normal conjunctivas, VEGF121 and VEGF165 were identified as the only VEGF splice forms expressed.
These studies indicate that tumor suppressor gene p53 and other genes associated with DNA repair, cell proliferation, migration and angiogenesis are critical for the development of pterygium.
Antibodies raised against VEGF and p53 were used to analyze the distribution and expression of these markers in pterygium and normal human conjunctiva were used as negative control.
Molecular genetic alterations reported in association with pterygium include loss of heterozygosity (LOH), point mutations of proto-oncogenes, such as K-ras and alterations in the expression of tumor suppressor genes, such as p53 or p63.
HPV 16/18 E6 contributes to HPV-mediated pterygium pathogenesis as it is partly involved in p53 inactivation and is expressed in HPV DNA-positive pterygium.
Our study demonstrated that inactivation of p53 in pterygium may influence miR-200a, resulting in ZEB1/ZEB2 up-regulation and EMT processing of pterygium.
Tear film levels of interleukin- (IL-) 6, IL-8, and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) were investigated over time, and preoperative concentrations were linked to corneal neovascularization and pterygium size.
Abnormal p53 expression in the epithelium of primary and recurrent pterygium specimens suggests that pterygium is a growth disorder rather than a degeneration.
Fluorescence telomeric repeat amplification protocol was used to measure telomerase activity in whole pterygium samples from 9 cases and in the epithelium and stroma of pterygium from another 10 cases. p53 protein content was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in tissues obtained from 7 eyes, as well as in epithelial cell suspensions collected by brush cytology in 8 eyes.