School of Optometry and Vision Science, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
School of Optometry and Vision Science, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
Optom Vis Sci. 2020 Mar;97(3):145-153. doi: 10.1097/OPX.0000000000001484.
This study set out to explore the relationship between the ocular surface immune and nervous systems by exploring corneal nerve structure and the presence of inflammatory mediators and neuropeptides in the tear film.
The purpose of this study was to determine the association between corneal nerve morphology and tear film inflammatory mediators and a neuropeptide in healthy individuals.
Flush tears were collected from both eyes of 21 healthy participants aged 39.7 ± 9.9 years (10 females, 11 males) and analyzed for substance P, matrix metalloproteinase-9, tissue inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinase-1 (TIMP-1), tumor necrosis factor α, and interleukin 6. In vivo central corneal confocal microscopy was performed on the right eye, and eight images were captured. Variables measured were corneal nerve fiber length (CNFL), corneal nerve density (CNFD), corneal nerve branch density, fiber total branch density, corneal nerve fiber area, corneal nerve fiber width (CNFW), and corneal nerve fractal dimension (CNFrac). For each eye, the average across the images and the maximum and minimum values were determined for each variable. Pearson correlation analysis was performed to test for associations.
Substance P correlated with CNFrac (max) (r = -0.48, P = .03) and CNFW (min) (r = -0.52, P = .02). TIMP-1 correlated with CNFD (average) (r = -0.53, P = .03), CNFL (average) (r = -0.49, P = .05), CNFrac (max) (r = -0.49, P = .05), and CNFD (min) (r = -0.55, P = .02). Interleukin 6 correlated with CNFW (average) (r = -0.49, P = .05), the standard deviation of CNFL (r = -0.51, P = .04), CNFL (max) (r = -0.50, P = .04), CNFrac (max) (r = -0.50, P = .04), and CNFW (min) (r = -0.55, P = .02). Tumor necrosis factor α, matrix metalloproteinase-9, and its ratio with TIMP-1 did not correlate with any corneal nerve parameters.
Both inflammatory mediators and neuropeptides correlated with measures of corneal nerve morphology, supporting the link between the inflammatory and nervous systems.
本研究旨在通过探索角膜神经结构以及泪膜中炎症介质和神经肽的存在，探讨眼表免疫和神经系统之间的关系。
本研究旨在确定健康个体的角膜神经形态与泪膜炎症介质和神经肽之间的关联。
从 21 名年龄 39.7±9.9 岁（女性 10 名，男性 11 名）的健康参与者的双眼收集冲洗泪液，并分析其中的 P 物质、基质金属蛋白酶-9、基质金属蛋白酶组织抑制剂-1（TIMP-1）、肿瘤坏死因子-α和白细胞介素 6。对右眼进行活体中央角膜共焦显微镜检查，共采集 8 张图像。测量的变量包括角膜神经纤维长度（CNFL）、角膜神经密度（CNFD）、角膜神经分支密度、纤维总分支密度、角膜神经纤维面积、角膜神经纤维宽度（CNFW）和角膜神经分形维数（CNFrac）。对于每只眼睛，确定图像之间的平均值以及每个变量的最大值和最小值。进行 Pearson 相关分析以检验相关性。
P 物质与 CNFrac（最大值）（r=-0.48，P=0.03）和 CNFW（最小值）（r=-0.52，P=0.02）相关。TIMP-1 与 CNFD（平均值）（r=-0.53，P=0.03）、CNFL（平均值）（r=-0.49，P=0.05）、CNFrac（最大值）（r=-0.49，P=0.05）和 CNFD（最小值）（r=-0.55，P=0.02）相关。白细胞介素 6 与 CNFW（平均值）（r=-0.49，P=0.05）、CNFL 标准差（r=-0.51，P=0.04）、CNFL（最大值）（r=-0.50，P=0.04）、CNFrac（最大值）（r=-0.50，P=0.04）和 CNFW（最小值）（r=-0.55，P=0.02）相关。肿瘤坏死因子-α、基质金属蛋白酶-9 及其与 TIMP-1 的比值与任何角膜神经参数均无相关性。
炎症介质和神经肽均与角膜神经形态学测量值相关，支持炎症和神经系统之间的联系。
