The aetiology of Corneal Intraepithelial Neoplasia (CIN) is multifactorial, stemming from an intricate interaction of genetic, environmental, and host factors. Protheragen provides a complete range of services concerning the development of diagnostic and therapeutic for Corneal Intraepithelial Neoplasia (CIN).
Introduction to Corneal Intraepithelial Neoplasia
Corneal Intraepithelial Neoplasia (CIN) is a rare and vision-threatening anomaly defined by neoplastic cells in the corneal epithelium. It has significant morbidity if allowed to go untreated. Mutations of tumor suppressor genes (TP53) and oncogenes (RAS) are some of the most important causes of CIN. These mutations may cause excessive cell division, which is no longer controlled and easily evades programmed cell death. Infection from Human papillomavirus (HPV) is an additional important factor due to the viral oncoproteins (E6 and E7) that alter normal cell cycle control. Other primary causes include long-term exposure to ultraviolet (UV) light, which damages DNA and causes instability of the genome in epithelial cells of the cornea.
Fig.1 Histopathology slide with hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) stain. (Al-Swailem S. A.,
et al., 2024)
Diagnostic Method for Corneal Intraepithelial Neoplasia
- Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR)
Detection of viral DNA such as HPV in corneal tissue samples is done through PCR. This technique aids in the diagnosis of CIN when there is a suspicious case of a viral infection. Additionally, PCR is useful in the detection of certain viral subtypes that are more likely to cause neoplastic transformation.
- Cytokeratin Expression Patterns
Immunostaining with cytokeratins and additional markers may be useful in characterizing neoplastic cells and discriminating CIN from other corneal diseases. In CIN, keratins 1, 4, 6, 13, and 16 are differentially expressed in comparison to normal corneal epithelium. This technique helps to understand the differentiation and the neoplastic transformation processes of cells in CIN.
Therapeutics Development for Corneal Intraepithelial Neoplasia
- Topical Chemotherapy: There is growing utilisation of topical chemotherapies like mitomycin C (MMC) and 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) in the therapeutics of CIN lesions. These agents can be dispensed as cyclic eye drops (for example, fortnightly cycles) and may serve as adjuncts to surgery or primary therapeutics in certain instances. Nevertheless, MMC has considerable associated side effects such as limbal stem cell deficiency and corrosion of the corneal epithelium.
- Topical Immunotherapy: Currently, Interferon alpha-2b (IFN-α2b) presents itself as a potential therapeutics for CIN. It can be administered via subconjunctival injection or topically and has proven effective towards the regression of neoplastic lesions. The use of IFN-α2b is associated with fewer eye surface complications than other therapeutic modalities.
Our Services
Protheragen offers customized services to meet the unique needs of our clients in the field of Corneal Intraepithelial Neoplasia (CIN) diagnostics and therapeutics development. Our services include:
Diagnostics Development
- Karyotype Analysis Service
- Omics Analysis Service
- Biomarker Development Service
- Artificial Intelligence Service
- Customized Diagnostics Development
Therapeutic Development
- Small Molecule Drug
- Cell Therapy
- Gene Therapy
- Therapeutic Antibody
- Therapeutic Peptide
- Therapeutic Protein
- Customized Therapy Development
Disease Models
- Krt12-rtTA/tet-O-FGF-7 Double Transgenic Mouse Models
- FGF-7 Overexpression Mouse Model
- Chemical Induction Rabbit Models
- Physical Induction Rabbit Models
Protheragen's preclinical research services are designed to accelerate the development of novel diagnostics and therapeutics for Corneal Intraepithelial Neoplasia. We offer a range of services, including in vitro and in vivo studies, to evaluate the pharmacokinetics and toxicology of new therapeutics. If you are interested in our services, please feel free to contact us.
References
- Al-Swailem, Samar A., et al. "Case report: Clinical features and management outcomes of isolated corneal intraepithelial neoplasia." Frontiers in Ophthalmology 4 (2024): 1346361.
- Bajracharya, Leena, and Jyoti Sapkota. "An unusual presentation of corneal intraepithelial neoplasia: a case report." Nepalese Journal of Ophthalmology 14.1 (2022): 178-182.
