{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,17]],"date-time":"2026-09-17T23:52:39Z","timestamp":1789689159953,"version":"4.0.1"},"reference-count":48,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"1","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2023,12,27]],"date-time":"2023-12-27T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1703635200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"the Research and Implementation Center Silesia LabMed UDA-RPSL","award":["01. 01. 00-24-05AH\/17-00"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["01. 01. 00-24-05AH\/17-00"]}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["IJMS"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Background: The aim of this study was to analyse the concentration of the nerve growth factor (NGF-\u03b2) in patients with keratoconus (KC) who are undergoing collagen fibre cross-linking (CXL) surgery in order to better understand the pathogenesis of this disease and observe the molecular changes occurring after the procedure. Among many cytokines, \u03b2-NGF seems to play an important role in the healing processes of corneal damage. Therefore, its role in the regenerative process after CXL treatment may affect the course of treatment and its final results. Tear samples from 52 patients were collected in this prospective study. Additionally, the patients also had a number of tests performed, including corneal topography using optical coherence tomography. Flat (K 1), steep (K 2), cylindrical (CYL), and central corneal thickness (CCT) keratometry were assessed. The tear samples were collected, and other tests were performed before the CXL procedure and afterwards, during the 12-month follow-up period. The NGF concentration was measured using the Bio-Plex Magnetic Luminex Assay. Lower levels of NGF-\u03b2 were detected in the KC patients than in the control group (p &lt; 0.001). The day after the procedure, the NGF-\u03b2 level was significantly lower (on average by 2.3 pg\/mL) (p = 0.037) than before the procedure, after which, the level of the reagent increases, but only in the group with the advanced cone, one month after CXL it was significantly higher (p = 0.047). Regarding the correlation of NGF with topographic measurements, the following were found: NGF-\u03b2 correlates significantly (p &lt; 0.05) and positively (r &gt; 0) with K1 before the CXL procedure; NGF-\u03b2 correlates significantly (p &lt; 0.05) and positively (r &gt; 0) with K1 one month after CXL; NGF-\u03b2 correlates significantly (p &lt; 0.05) and positively (r &gt; 0) with CYL nine months after CXL; and, after twelve months, NGF-\u03b2 correlates significantly (p &lt; 0.05) and positively (r &gt; 0) with K2 and K1. Corneal sensitivity did not statistically and significantly correlate with the level of NGF-\u03b2 secretion. Our study suggests that NGF may be crucial in the development and progression of KC as well as in the repair mechanisms after CXL surgery. Further research is needed on the role of NGF and other inflammatory biomarkers for rapid diagnosis and selection of targeted therapy in patients with keratoconus.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/ijms25010366","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2023,12,27]],"date-time":"2023-12-27T05:43:15Z","timestamp":1703655795000},"page":"366","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":4,"title":["Level of Secretion and the Role of the Nerve Growth Factor in Patients with Keratoconus before and after Collagen Fibre Cross-Linking Surgery"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"25","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-9362-0652","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Magdalena","family":"Krok","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Chair and Clinical Department of Ophthalmology, Faculty of Medical Sciences in Zabrze, Medical University of Silesia, Panewnicka 65 Street, 40-760 Katowice, Poland"},{"name":"Ophthalmology of Department, District Railway Hospital, 65 Panewnicka Street, 40-760 Katowice, Poland"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Ewa","family":"Wr\u00f3blewska-Czajka","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Chair and Clinical Department of Ophthalmology, Faculty of Medical Sciences in Zabrze, Medical University of Silesia, Panewnicka 65 Street, 40-760 Katowice, Poland"},{"name":"Ophthalmology of Department, District Railway Hospital, 65 Panewnicka Street, 40-760 Katowice, Poland"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Olga","family":"\u0141ach-Wojnarowicz","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Chair and Clinical Department of Ophthalmology, Faculty of Medical Sciences in Zabrze, Medical University of Silesia, Panewnicka 65 Street, 40-760 Katowice, Poland"},{"name":"Ophthalmology of Department with Paediatric Unit, St. Barbara Hospital, 41-200 Sosnowiec, Poland"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Joanna","family":"Bronikowska","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medical Sciences in Zabrze, Medical University of Silesia, 40-055 Katowice, Poland"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-8216-4495","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Zenon P.","family":"Czuba","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medical Sciences in Zabrze, Medical University of Silesia, 40-055 Katowice, Poland"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-6707-5790","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Edward","family":"Wyl\u0119ga\u0142a","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Chair and Clinical Department of Ophthalmology, Faculty of Medical Sciences in Zabrze, Medical University of Silesia, Panewnicka 65 Street, 40-760 Katowice, Poland"},{"name":"Ophthalmology of Department, District Railway Hospital, 65 Panewnicka Street, 40-760 Katowice, Poland"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-8768-1691","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Dariusz","family":"Dobrowolski","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Chair and Clinical Department of Ophthalmology, Faculty of Medical Sciences in Zabrze, Medical University of Silesia, Panewnicka 65 Street, 40-760 Katowice, Poland"},{"name":"Ophthalmology of Department, District Railway Hospital, 65 Panewnicka Street, 40-760 Katowice, Poland"},{"name":"Ophthalmology of Department with Paediatric Unit, St. Barbara Hospital, 41-200 Sosnowiec, Poland"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2023,12,27]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"101559","DOI":"10.1016\/j.clae.2021.101559","article-title":"Keratoconus: An updated re-view","volume":"45","author":"Carracedo","year":"2022","journal-title":"Contact Lens Anterior Eye"},{"key":"ref_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"297","DOI":"10.1016\/S0039-6257(97)00119-7","article-title":"Keratoconus","volume":"42","author":"Rabinowitz","year":"1998","journal-title":"Surv. 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