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INTRODUCTION: In the search for molecular markers that aid in the early diagnosis and treatment of various human diseases, many studies have focused on changes in genes, their transcripts and protein products. Recent advances in proteomic methodologies, such as mass spectrometry (MS), generate new opportunities to obtain relevant information on normal and abnormal processes that occur in many important cell pathways. The human eye is a highly specialized and compartmentalized organ, and the interpretation of molecular biomarkers helps to evaluate its cellular structure, providing a broader molecular understanding that corroborates in the pathophysiology of ophthalmological diseases, with marked improvements in their diagnosis, prognosis and treatment. This review summarizes the most important protein biomarkers in Ophthalmology screened by MS tools. CONCLUSION: The use of translational medicine techniques (as MS), integrating basic and clinical research, still transforms scientific findings, from laboratory researches to clinical applications, from the bedside into the community.

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Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is among the world's leading causes of blindness. In its neovascular form (nAMD), around 25% of patients present further anatomical and visual deterioration due to persistence of neovascular activity, despite gold-standard treatment protocols using intravitreal anti-VEGF medications. Thus, to comprehend, the molecular pathways that drive choroidal neoangiogenesis, associated with the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), are important steps to elucidate the mechanistic events underneath the disease development. This is a pilot study, a prospective, translational experiment, in a real-life context aiming to evaluate the protein profiles of the aqueous humor of 15 patients divided into three groups: group 1, composed of patients with nAMD, who demonstrated a good response to anti-VEGF intravitreal injections during follow-up (good responsive); group 2, composed of patients with anti-VEGF-resistant nAMD, who demonstrated choroidal neovascularization activity during follow-up (poor/non-responsive); and group 3, composed of control patients without systemic diseases or signs of retinopathy. For proteomic characterization of the groups, mass spectrometry (label-free LC-MS/MS) was used. A total of 2,336 proteins were identified, of which 185 were distinctly regulated and allowed the differentiation of the clinical conditions analyzed. Among those, 39 proteins, including some novel ones, were analyzed as potential disease effectors through their pathophysiological implications in lipid metabolism, oxidative stress, complement system, inflammatory pathways, and angiogenesis. So, this study suggests the participation of other promising biomarkers in neovascular AMD, in addition to the known VEGF.

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Abstract Objective: We aimed to describe the clinical and phenotypic manifestations as well as the visual prognosis of a family with CA in Northeastern Brazil. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study involving 31 individuals (56 eyes) from the same family presenting CA phenotypes. The study population resided in the municipality of Água Branca, in the backlands of the state of Alagoas, Northeastern Brazil. The clinical and phenotypic variables were analyzed. For the analysis, descriptive statistics (absolute and relative frequency and measures of central tendency and dispersion) and inferential statistics (Shapiro-Wilk and Student's t tests) were used, with 95% confidence intervals and significance set at 5%. Results: Of the 31 individuals, 18 (58.1%) were male, with a mean age of 27.45 ± 17.49 years, with no difference between sexes. Of the 56 eyes evaluated, 26 and 30 were right and left eyes, respectively; 61.3% (n = 19) individuals had complete bilateral aniridia and 25.8% (n = 8) reported a total loss of light perception in both the eyes. The most prevalent ocular abnormalities were nystagmus (n = 27; 87.09%), cataract (n = 20; 64.5%), strabismus (n = 14; 45.2%), corneal changes such as opacities and/or vascularization (n = 13; 41.93%), and ectopia lentis (n = 6; 19.4%). Further, 13 individuals underwent retinal optical coherence tomography, six man and seven women aged 9-48 (mean, 30.15 ± 15.9) years. All patients presented absence of foveal depression as well as reduced macular thickness and visual acuity. Nine subjects underwent phacoemulsification. Conclusion: The study showed wide phenotypic variation among the studied individuals, with poor visual prognosis. The study highlights the need to establish comprehensive care mechanisms for families with the disease.

Resumo Objetivo: Descrever manifestações clínicas e fenotípicas e o prognóstico visual de uma família com aniridia congênita (AC). Métodos: Trata-se de estudo transversal envolvendo 31 indivíduos (56 olhos), de uma mesma família com fenótipo de AC residindo no município de Água Branca, no sertão do estado de Alagoas, região nordeste do Brasil. Foram analisadas variáveis clínicas e fenotípicas. Para a análise, foi utilizada a estatística descritiva (frequência absoluta e relativa e medidas de tendência central e de dispersão) e inferencial (testes de Shapiro-Wilk e t Student). Considerou-se o intervalo de confiança de 95% e a significância de 5%. Resultados: Dos 31 indivíduos, 18 (58,1%) eram do sexo masculino, com média de idade de 27,45±17,49, sem diferença entre os sexos. Dos 56 olhos avaliados, 26 eram olhos direitos e 30 olhos esquerdos: 61,3% (n=19) apresentavam aniridia bilateral total; 25,8% (n=8) referiam perda total de percepção da luz em ambos os olhos. As anormalidades oculares mais prevalentes foram o nistagmo (n=27; 87,09%), catarata (n=20; 64,5%), estrabismo 14 (45,2%), alterações opacidades ou vascularização corneanas (n=13; 41,93%) e ectopia lentis (n=6; 19,4%). Os 13 indivíduos submetidos à tomografia de coerência óptica (OCT) retiniana apresentavam perda da depressão foveal, redução da espessura macular e redução da acuidade visual. Nove indivíduos foram submetidos a cirurgia de facoemulsificação. Conclusão: O estudo mostrou ampla variação fenotípica entre os indivíduos estudados, com pobre prognóstico visual. O estudo destaca a necessidade de estabelecer mecanismos de cuidado integral para as famílias com a doença.

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ABSTRACT Alström syndrome is a rare disorder characterized by mutations to the ALMS1 gene and clinical findings of childhood obesity, diabetes mellitus, dilated cardiomyopathy, sensorineural hearing loss, and progressive cone-rod dystrophy, which may result in blindness. Ocular manifestations occur in the first decade of life with nystagmus, blepharospasm, and photophobia leading to progressive and severe reductions in visual acuity. This study describes the retinal structure and functional aspects of four patients (8 eyes) from two different families as determined by optical coherence tomography (OCT), fundus autofluorescence, and full-field electroretinography. There was a correlation between morphological and functional findings, evidenced by typical funduscopic changes of retinal dystrophy in spectral domain-OCT and electrophysiological analyses. Foveal characteristics include a single layer of undifferentiated photoreceptors with retinal disorganization mainly from external segments, in agreement with previous reports in the literature. Fundus autofluorescence showed areas of hyperautofluorescence interspersed by hypoautofluorescence dots suggesting, respectively, involvement and atrophy of retinal pigmented epithelial cells in the macular zone. Electroretinographic analyses showed early dysfunction of the cones followed by rapid rod deterioration.

RESUMO A síndrome de Alström é uma doença rara caracterizada por mutações no gene AMLS 1 e achados clínicos de obesidade infantil, diabetes mellitus, cardiomiopatia dilatada, surdez neurossensorial e distrofia de cones e bastonetes progressiva, que podem resultar em cegueira. Manifestações oftalmológicas ocorrem na primeira década de vida com nistagmo, blefaroespasmo e fotofobia, levando a reduções progressivas e graves na acuidade visual. Este estudo descreve a estrutura da retina e os aspectos funcionais de quatro pacientes (oito olhos) de duas famílias dis tintas, conforme determinado por tomografia de coerência óptica, autoflourescência de fundo de olho e eletrorretinograma de campo total. Houve correlação entre os achados morfológicos e funcionais evidenciados por alterações fundoscópicas típicas da distrofia retiniana no domínio espectral-OCT e análises eletrofisiológicas. As características foveais incluem uma única camada de fotorreceptores indiferenciados com desorganização retiniana principalmente nos segmentos externos, de acordo com relatos prévios da literatura. A autofluorescência de fundo mostrou áreas de hiperautofluorescência, sugerindo, respectivamente, envolvimento e atrofia das células do epitélio pigmentar da retina na região macular. Análises eletrorretinográficas mostram disfunção precoce de cones, seguida de rápida deteriorização da haste.

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Alström syndrome is a rare disorder characterized by mutations to the ALMS1 gene and clinical findings of childhood obesity, diabetes mellitus, dilated cardiomyopathy, sensorineural hearing loss, and progressive cone-rod dystrophy, which may result in blindness. Ocular manifestations occur in the first decade of life with nystagmus, blepharospasm, and photophobia leading to progressive and severe reductions in visual acuity. This study describes the retinal structure and functional aspects of four patients (8 eyes) from two different families as determined by optical coherence tomography (OCT), fundus autofluorescence, and full-field electroretinography. There was a correlation between morphological and functional findings, evidenced by typical funduscopic changes of retinal dystrophy in spectral domain-OCT and electrophysiological analyses. Foveal characteristics include a single layer of undifferentiated photoreceptors with retinal disorganization mainly from external segments, in agreement with previous reports in the literature. Fundus autofluorescence showed areas of hyperautofluorescence interspersed by hypoautofluorescence dots suggesting, respectively, involvement and atrophy of retinal pigmented epithelial cells in the macular zone. Electroretinographic analyses showed early dysfunction of the cones followed by rapid rod deterioration.

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