To determine whether selective laser trabeculoplasty (SLT) induces monocyte recruitment to the trabecular meshwork (TM) in human and monkey eyes and whether monocytes increase both aqueous outflow in vivo and the conductivity of human Schlemm canal endothelial cells (SCEs) in vitro. Methods: Monocyte recruitment was examined morphometrically in control human and monkey eyes and compared with that following SLT applied 1 to 3 days earlier. Outflow facility was measured for up to 4 days after the intracameral infusion of autologous macrophages in rabbits. Schlemm canal endothelial cell conductivity was measured using flow meters after exposing cultured SCEs to monocytes and monocyte-secreted factors for 24 hours. Results: Our estimates show that the TM in the human eye normally had an average of 15 003 monocytes, while in the monkey eye there were 3181 monocytes, and this number increased 4-to 5-fold following SLT. The intra-cameral infusion of autologous macrophages in rabbits increased outflow facility 2-fold in a rapid and sustained manner. Human monocytes and monocytesecreted factors increased SCE conductivity 2-fold in vitro. Conclusions: The number of monocytes/macrophages in the TM increases substantially after SLT and monocytes augment both outflow facility and SCE conductivity. Clinical Relevance: These findings indicate that the innate immune system in general and monocytes in particular play an important role in aqueous outflow homeostasis. The recruitment of monocytes in increased numbers after SLT likely plays a role in lowering the intraocular pressure after this procedure. The intracameral introduction of autologous monocytes harvested from a vein could have therapeutic potential as a cell-based individualized treatment of glaucoma.

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Inhibitor of kappaB kinase (IKK) gamma (IKKgamma), also referred to as nuclear factor kappaB (NF-kappaB) essential modulator (NEMO), is an important regulatory component of the IKK complex. The IKK complex is a signalosome that catalyzes the inducible phosphorylation of IkappaB proteins, which is a key step that leads to the activation of NF-kappaB. The exact functions of IKKgamma (NEMO) as part of the IKK complex have not yet been fully elucidated. This mini-review covers 16 proteins that have been reported to bind to IKKgamma and lead to the enhancement of the activities of the IKK complex, thus resulting in NF-kappaB activation. The major mechanisms by which these interactions are mediated involve the recognition of ubiquitinated upstream signaling components by IKKgamma or the modification of IKKgamma itself by ubiquitination. Additional mechanisms include the sumoylation or phosphorylation of IKKgamma and the modification of the tertiary or quaternary structure of IKKgamma.

The Renilla luciferase gene is commonly used as an internal control in luciferase-based reporter gene assays to normalize the values of the experimental reporter gene for variations that could be caused by transfection efficiency and sample handling. Various plasmids encoding Renilla luciferase under different promoter constructs are commercially available. The validity of the use of Renilla luciferase as an internal control is based on the assumption that it is constitutively expressed in transfected cells and that its constitutive expression is not modulated by experimental factors that could result in either the upregulation or the downregulation of the amounts of the enzyme produced. During the past ten years, a number of reports have appeared that identified a variety of conditions that could alter the basal constitutive expression of Renilla luciferase. The use of Renilla luciferase in those circumstances would not be valid and an alternative way of normalization would be necessary. This review covers the factors that have been reported thus far as modulating the expression of Renilla luciferase from plasmid constructs.

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