| ORIGINAL ARTICLE |
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| Year : 2008 | Volume
: 56
| Issue : 4 | Page : 279-283 |
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Cyclooxygenase-2 expression in primary and recurrent pterygium
Nermin Karahan1, Sirin Baspinar2, Metin Ciris1, Cetin Lutfi Baydar3, Nilgun Kapucuoglu1
1 Department of Pathology, Suleyman Demirel University School of Medicine, Isparta, Turkey
2 Department of Pathology, Egirdir Bone Joint Diseases Treatment and Rehabilitation Hospital, Isparta, Turkey
3 Forensic Medicine, Suleyman Demirel University School of Medicine, Isparta, Turkey
Correspondence Address:
Nermin Karahan
Department of Pathology, Suleyman Demirel University, School of Medicine, Isparta
Turkey
 Source of Support: None, Conflict of Interest: None  | Check |
DOI: 10.4103/0301-4738.39663
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Background: Pterygia are common, benign, fibrovascular, and infiltrative processes of the corneo-conjunctival junction of unknown pathogenesis. Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) mediates the rate-limiting step in arachidonic acid metabolism. Extensive evidence indicates that the COX-2 prostanoid pathway is involved in inflammation. The aim of the study was to document the immunohistochemical expression of COX-2 in primary and recurrent pterygia.
Materials and Methods: In this study, 21 primary pterygia and 12 recurrent pterygia from subjects undergoing pterygium surgery and six normal corneal-scleral tissue specimens were studied immunohistochemically for COX-2 expression.
Results: COX-2 was expressed in primary pterygia and recurrent pterygia specimens. There was a statistically significant difference in COX-2 expressions in fibroblasts between primary and recurrent pterygium cases ( P = 0.001). There were statistically significant differences in COX-2 expressions in surface epithelium ( P = 0.028) and stromal inflammatory cells ( P =0.000) between control tissues and primary pterygia tissues. We also detected statistically significant differences in COX-2 expressions in surface epithelium ( P =0.000), stromal fibroblasts P =0.000 (stromal fibroblasts and inflammatory cells), vessels ( P = 0.027) and inflammatory cells ( P =0.001) between control tissues and recurrent pterygia tissues.
Conclusions: This is the first study to document the expression of COX-2 in primary and recurrent pterygia. In our opinion after excision of pterygia, fibroblastic proliferation continues and this contributes to recurrence. |
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