Purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate the possible role of endocan in the pathogenesis of pterygium.
Methods: The study was conducted on 33 patients with primary pterygium and 20 control subjects with normal bulbar conjunctiva. Patients with pterygium were graded into 3 groups as atrophic, fleshy, and intermediate, according to the Tan classification. Primary nasal pterygia and normal bulbar conjunctivas were surgically removed. Endocan expression was immunohistochemically investigated.
Results: Endocan expression in epithelial and endothelial cells was statistically significantly higher in pterygium tissues than control tissues (P = 0.001). No significant correlation was observed between pterygium classification groups and endocan expression in both epithelial and endothelial cells (P > 0.05).
Conclusions: The results suggest that endocan may have a role in the pathogenesis of pterygium.