-
The Ocular Surface Apr 2020The bacterial communities that collectively inhabit our body are called the microbiome. Virtually all body surface harbors bacteria. Recent advances in next-generation... (Review)
Review
The bacterial communities that collectively inhabit our body are called the microbiome. Virtually all body surface harbors bacteria. Recent advances in next-generation sequencing that have provided insight into the diversity, composition of bacterial communities, and their interaction are discussed in this review, as well as the current knowledge of how the microbiome promotes ocular health. The ocular surface is a site of low bacterial load. Sjögren Syndrome is an autoimmune disease that affects the exocrine glands, causing dry mouth and dry eye. Systemic antibiotic treatment and germ-free mice have demonstrated that commensal bacteria have a protective role for the ocular surface and lacrimal gland. The existence of a gut-eye-lacrimal gland axis-microbiome is discussed.
Topics: Animals; Dry Eye Syndromes; Gastrointestinal Microbiome; Lacrimal Apparatus; Microbiota; Sjogren's Syndrome
PubMed: 31644955
DOI: 10.1016/j.jtos.2019.10.006 -
Indian Journal of Ophthalmology Sep 2017Myxomas are rare neoplasms of mesenchymal origin. Cases of conjunctival, corneal, and orbital myxomas have been reported in the literature; however, to the best of our...
Myxomas are rare neoplasms of mesenchymal origin. Cases of conjunctival, corneal, and orbital myxomas have been reported in the literature; however, to the best of our knowledge, there is no report of a lacrimal gland myxoma. We report a case of an orbital myxoma involving the lacrimal gland and its management.
Topics: Aged; Biopsy; Diagnosis, Differential; Eye Neoplasms; Humans; Lacrimal Apparatus; Male; Myxoma; Ophthalmologic Surgical Procedures; Tomography, X-Ray Computed
PubMed: 28905841
DOI: 10.4103/ijo.IJO_226_17 -
International Journal of Molecular... Dec 2022Ectodysplasin A (EDA), a ligand of the TNF family, plays an important role in maintaining the homeostasis of the ocular surface. EDA is necessary for the development of... (Review)
Review
Ectodysplasin A (EDA), a ligand of the TNF family, plays an important role in maintaining the homeostasis of the ocular surface. EDA is necessary for the development of the meibomian gland, the lacrimal gland, as well as the proliferation and barrier function of the corneal epithelium. The mutation of EDA can induce the destruction of the ocular surface resulting in keratopathy, abnormality of the meibomian gland and maturation of the lacrimal gland. Experimental animal studies showed that a prenatal ultrasound-guided intra-amniotic injection or postnatal intravenous administration of soluble recombinant EDA protein can efficiently prevent the development of ocular surface abnormalities in EDA mutant animals. Furthermore, local application of EDA could restore the damaged ocular surface to some extent. Hence, a recombinant EDA-based therapy may serve as a novel paradigm to treat ocular surface disorders, such as meibomian gland dysfunction and corneal epithelium abnormalities.
Topics: Female; Animals; Pregnancy; Ectodysplasins; Epithelium, Corneal; Lacrimal Apparatus; Corneal Diseases; Homeostasis
PubMed: 36555342
DOI: 10.3390/ijms232415700 -
Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual... Mar 2022To determine the effect of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSA) on lacrimal gland function and its mechanism.
PURPOSE
To determine the effect of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSA) on lacrimal gland function and its mechanism.
METHODS
Male mice aged seven to eight weeks were housed in cages with cyclic intermittent hypoxia to mimic OSA, and the control group was kept in a normal environment. Slit-lamp observation, fluorescein staining, and corneal sensitivity detection are used to assess cornea changes. Tear secretion was detected by phenol red cotton thread, and the pathological changes of lacrimal gland were observed by hematoxylin and eosin staining, oil red O staining, cholesterol and triglyceride kits, immunofluorescence staining, immunohistochemical staining, real-time polymerase chain reaction, transmission electron microscopy, and Western blot.
RESULTS
Studies revealed a decreased tear secretion, corneal epithelial defects and corneal hypersensitivity. Myoepithelial cell damage, abnormal lipid accumulation, reduced cell proliferation, increased apoptosis and inflammatory cell infiltration in the lacrimal gland were also seen. Hifα and NF-κB signaling pathways, moreover, were activated, while Pparα was downregulated, in the lacrimal glands of OSA mice. Fenofibrate treatment significantly alleviated pathological changes of the lacrimal gland induced by OSA.
CONCLUSION
OSA disturbs the Hifα/Pparα/NF-κB signaling axis, which affects lacrimal gland structure and function and induces dry eye.
Topics: Animals; Dry Eye Syndromes; Lacrimal Apparatus; Male; Mice; NF-kappa B; PPAR alpha; Sleep Apnea, Obstructive; Tears
PubMed: 35238868
DOI: 10.1167/iovs.63.3.3 -
Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual... Jul 2023Orbital glands and drainage conduits are two distinct entities that constitute the lacrimal apparatus system, the malfunction of which leads to a range of ocular surface...
PURPOSE
Orbital glands and drainage conduits are two distinct entities that constitute the lacrimal apparatus system, the malfunction of which leads to a range of ocular surface disorders. Despite the close functional relationship, how the two parts interact under pathophysiological conditions has not been directly tested. The study aims to investigate the lacrimal gland (LG) structural and functional changes upon the drainage system obstruction, thus, testing their function link.
METHODS
Dacryocystectomy was performed in C57BL/6 mice to create a surgical model for tear duct (TD) obstruction (STDOB). Prickle1 mutant line with congenital nasolacrimal duct dysplasia serves as a genetic model for TD obstruction (GTDOB). Alterations of the LG and the ocular surface in tear duct obstruction mice were examined.
RESULTS
STDOB and GTDOB mice showed similar ocular surface phenotypes, including epiphora, corneal epithelial defects, and conjunctival goblet cell abnormalities. At the molecular and cellular levels, aberrant secretory vesicle fusion of the LG acinar cells was observed with altered expression and localization of Rab3d, Vamp8, and Snap23, which function in membrane fusion. LG secretion was also altered in that lactoferrin, lipocalin2, and lysozyme expression were increased in both LG and tears. Furthermore, STDOB and GTDOB mice exhibited similar LG transcription profiles.
CONCLUSIONS
Physical obstruction of tear drainage in STDOB or GTDOB mice leads to LG dysfunction, suggesting a long-distance interaction between the tear drainage conduits and the LG. We propose that various components of the lacrimal apparatus should be considered an integral unit in diagnosing and treating ocular surface diseases.
Topics: Mice; Animals; Lacrimal Apparatus; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Tears; Lacrimal Apparatus Diseases; Nasolacrimal Duct; Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing; LIM Domain Proteins
PubMed: 37440262
DOI: 10.1167/iovs.64.10.13 -
Developmental Dynamics : An Official... Dec 2017The lacrimal gland plays a pivotal role in keeping the ocular surface lubricated, and protecting it from environmental exposure and insult. Dysfunction of the lacrimal... (Review)
Review
The lacrimal gland plays a pivotal role in keeping the ocular surface lubricated, and protecting it from environmental exposure and insult. Dysfunction of the lacrimal gland results in deficiency of the aqueous component of the tear film, which can cause dryness of the ocular surface, also known as the aqueous-deficient dry eye disease. Left untreated, this disease can lead to significant morbidity, including frequent eye infections, corneal ulcerations, and vision loss. Current therapies do not treat the underlying deficiency of the lacrimal gland, but merely provide symptomatic relief. To develop more sustainable and physiological therapies, such as in vivo lacrimal gland regeneration or bioengineered lacrimal gland implants, a thorough understanding of lacrimal gland development at the molecular level is of paramount importance. Based on the structural and functional similarities between rodent and human eye development, extensive studies have been undertaken to investigate the signaling and transcriptional mechanisms of lacrimal gland development using mouse as a model system. In this review, we describe the current understanding of the extrinsic signaling interactions and the intrinsic transcriptional network governing lacrimal gland morphogenesis, as well as recent advances in the field of regenerative medicine aimed at treating dry eye disease. Developmental Dynamics 246:970-980, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Topics: Animals; Bioengineering; Eye Diseases; Humans; Lacrimal Apparatus; Regenerative Medicine; Signal Transduction
PubMed: 28710815
DOI: 10.1002/dvdy.24551 -
Survey of Ophthalmology 2020Primary ductal adenocarcinoma (PDA) is a rare epithelial tumor of the lacrimal gland. Herein we report 5 cases and review 29 published cases of PDA of the lacrimal... (Review)
Review
Primary ductal adenocarcinoma (PDA) is a rare epithelial tumor of the lacrimal gland. Herein we report 5 cases and review 29 published cases of PDA of the lacrimal gland. Among these 5 cases, the most common clinical presentation was painless swelling and/or proptosis of their eye. The size of the lesions ranged from 1.6 to 2.5 cm. Histopathologic examination revealed proliferations of ductal or gland-like cells with vesiculated pleomorphic nuclei and prominent nucleoli. Tumor cells stained positive for epithelial and apocrine differentiation markers. Immunohistochemistry for human epidermal growth factor 2 was positive in 2 of the 4 cases. Four of the five patients were alive at the last follow-up visit. One died with bone metastases, which were diagnosed 25 months after exenteration and then survived an additional 51 months. On reviewing of twenty-nine previously published cases of PDA, the mean age of diagnosis was 58 years, with a male predominance (75%). Fifteen patients (54%) had distant metastases, 1 (4%) had local recurrence, and 10 (37%) suffered from a PDA-related death. PDA is a high-grade aggressive epithelial tumor of the lacrimal gland. Although rare, awareness and recognition of this malignancy are important to help determine prognosis and treatment options.
Topics: Adenocarcinoma; Biomarkers, Tumor; Humans; Lacrimal Apparatus; Lacrimal Apparatus Diseases; Prognosis
PubMed: 31837385
DOI: 10.1016/j.survophthal.2019.11.002 -
International Journal of Molecular... Feb 2023Lacrimal gland inflammation triggers dry eye disease through impaired tear secretion by the epithelium. As aberrant inflammasome activation occurs in autoimmune...
Lacrimal gland inflammation triggers dry eye disease through impaired tear secretion by the epithelium. As aberrant inflammasome activation occurs in autoimmune disorders including Sjögren's syndrome, we analyzed the inflammasome pathway during acute and chronic inflammation and investigated its potential regulators. Bacterial infection was mimicked by the intraglandular injection of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and nigericin, known to activate the NLRP3 inflammasome. Acute injury of the lacrimal gland was induced by interleukin (IL)-1α injection. Chronic inflammation was studied using two Sjögren's syndrome models: diseased compared to healthy mice and Thrombospondin-1-null (TSP-1) compared to TSP-1 mice. Inflammasome activation was investigated by immunostaining using the reporter mouse, by Western blotting, and by RNAseq. LPS/Nigericin, IL-1α and chronic inflammation induced inflammasomes in lacrimal gland epithelial cells. Acute and chronic inflammation of the lacrimal gland upregulated multiple inflammasome sensors, caspases 1/4, and interleukins and . We also found increased IL-1β maturation in Sjögren's syndrome models compared with healthy control lacrimal glands. Using RNA-seq data of regenerating lacrimal glands, we found that lipogenic genes were upregulated during the resolution of inflammation following acute injury. In chronically inflamed lacrimal glands, an altered lipid metabolism was associated with disease progression: genes for cholesterol metabolism were upregulated, while genes involved in mitochondrial metabolism and fatty acid synthesis were downregulated, including peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha (PPARα)/sterol regulatory element-binding 1 (SREBP-1)-dependent signaling. We conclude that epithelial cells can promote immune responses by forming inflammasomes, and that sustained inflammasome activation, together with an altered lipid metabolism, are key players of Sjögren's syndrome-like pathogenesis in the mouse lacrimal gland by promoting epithelial dysfunction and inflammation.
Topics: Animals; Mice; Lacrimal Apparatus; Sjogren's Syndrome; Inflammasomes; Thrombospondin 1; Lipid Metabolism; Lipopolysaccharides; Nigericin; Mice, Inbred NOD; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Inflammation; Epithelial Cells; Immunity
PubMed: 36901740
DOI: 10.3390/ijms24054309 -
Archives of Iranian Medicine Dec 2021The purpose of this study was to describe the radiologic and histopathologic features of lacrimal gland in patients presenting with lacrimal gland enlargement.
BACKGROUND
The purpose of this study was to describe the radiologic and histopathologic features of lacrimal gland in patients presenting with lacrimal gland enlargement.
METHODS
We retrospectively retrieved the data of patients with lacrimal gland enlargement in Farabi Eye Hospital between 2012 and 2017. These data included demographics, the patients' facial photographs, orbital CT-scans, and histopathological findings of lacrimal gland biopsies.
RESULTS
Forty-seven patients (15 men and 32 women) were enrolled in this study with a median age of 37.9 years (range, 15-79 years). Histopathologic diagnoses were chronic dacryoadenitis in 26 cases (55.32%), IgG4-related disease in 6 patients (12.77%), two cases of acute dacryoadenitis, two cases of non-necrotizing granulomatous inflammation, two cases of Non-Hodgkin's B-cell lymphoma, two cases of adenoid cystic carcinoma and two cases of mixed tumor (4.26% each), as well as one case of conjunctival epithelial cyst, and one case of benign lymphoid tissue and fibrofatty tissue (2.13%). In two samples (4.26%), biopsy revealed normal lacrimal glands. Interestingly, in two cases with relapsing lacrimal gland enlargement, different histopathologic diagnoses were found in biopsies taken from each lacrimal gland at different times. The average size of enlarged lacrimal glands was 19.67 mm × 7.06 mm on axial CT scan and 19.44 mm × 6.20 mm on coronal CT scan.
CONCLUSION
Tissue biopsy is needed for diagnosis of lacrimal gland enlargement because it is difficult to distinguish the type of the lacrimal gland pathology based solely on clinical or radiological presentation.
Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Dacryocystitis; Female; Humans; Lacrimal Apparatus; Lacrimal Apparatus Diseases; Male; Middle Aged; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; Retrospective Studies; Young Adult
PubMed: 35014239
DOI: 10.34172/aim.2021.136 -
The British Journal of Radiology Jul 2022The lacrimal gland is a bilobed serous gland located in the superolateral aspect of the orbit. Lacrimal system pathologies can be broadly divided into pathologies of the... (Review)
Review
The lacrimal gland is a bilobed serous gland located in the superolateral aspect of the orbit. Lacrimal system pathologies can be broadly divided into pathologies of the lacrimal gland and those of the nasolacrimal drainage apparatus. These include distinct congenital, infectious, inflammatory, and benign, indeterminate, and malignant neoplastic lesions. Trauma and resultant fractures affecting lacrimal drainage apparatus is not part of this review; only non-traumatic diseases will be discussed. CT is the initial modality of choice because of its ability to delineate lacrimal system anatomy and demonstrate most lacrimal drainage system abnormalities and their extent. It also assesses bony architecture and characterizes any osseous changes. MRI is helpful in further characterizing these lesions and better assessing involvement of the surrounding soft tissue structures. In this pictorial review, we will review the anatomy of the lacrimal system, describe CT/MRI findings of the common and uncommon lacrimal system abnormalities and discuss relevance of imaging with regards to patient management.
Topics: Diagnosis, Differential; Eye Neoplasms; Humans; Lacrimal Apparatus; Lacrimal Apparatus Diseases; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Tomography, X-Ray Computed
PubMed: 35522773
DOI: 10.1259/bjr.20211333