Protein Expressions of the Small GTPase Rho Proteins in Pterygial Tissue and Leukocytes of Patients with Pterygium

Pterygium is a benign fibrovascular proliferation that develops from the conjunctiva and invades the cornea. The etiology of this disorder remains unclear. Current treatment of pterygium is surgical. The postoperative recurrence rate of pterygium is reported be high. To the best of our knowledge, these results are the first to demonstrate the contribution of proteins expressions of the small GTPase Rho proteins in patients with pterygium. Our data showed that leukocyte RhoA, RhoB, RhoD, and RhoE protein expressions were markedly elevated in primary pterygium. However, no significant modifications were noted in pterygial tissues.

Traumatic and Iatrogenic Choroidal Neovascularization

Iatrogenic CNVs have been reported primarily due to laser photocoagulation and, secondly, due to complications of macular surgery. It has been reported that chorio-ovitreal and subretinal fibrovascular proliferation following heavy focal photocoagulation are complications of high energy with small spot size application. Apart from the CNVs that occur as iatrogenic laser complications, CNVs formed by laser pointers can also be seen. During macular surgery, CNV may also develop due to RPE and BM trauma and deterioration of their integrity. While fundus exam, FFA, OCT, and Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography (OCTA) are valuable for diagnosis, in recent years, experimental animal laser-induced CNV studies, especially bone marrow-derived monocyte-macrophages playing an important role, and underlying related molecular mechanism studies have been intensified. One of the therapeutic examples of treatment is a gene transfer shown in experimental rat studies. Nevertheless, there is a need for further studies on diagnosis and treatment.