EXTRACELLULAR-MATRIX ALTERATIONS IN HUMAN CORNEAS WITH BULLOUS KERATOPATHY

Citation
Av. Ljubimov et al., EXTRACELLULAR-MATRIX ALTERATIONS IN HUMAN CORNEAS WITH BULLOUS KERATOPATHY, Investigative ophthalmology & visual science, 37(6), 1996, pp. 997-1007
Citations number
53
Categorie Soggetti
Ophthalmology
ISSN journal
01460404
Volume
37
Issue
6
Year of publication
1996
Pages
997 - 1007
Database
ISI
SICI code
0146-0404(1996)37:6<997:EAIHCW>2.0.ZU;2-O
Abstract
Purpose. To uncover abnormalities of extracellular matrix (ECM) distri bution in human corneas with pseudophakic and aphakic bullous keratopa thy (PBK/ABK). Methods. Indirect immunofluorescence with antibodies to 27 ECM components was used on frozen sections of 14 normal and 20 PBK /ABK corneas. Results. Fibrillar deposits of an antiadhesive glycoprot ein tenascin in the anterior and posterior stroma, epithelial basement membrane (BM), bullae and subepithelial fibrosis (SEF) areas, and pos terior collagenous layer (PCL) were revealed in diseased corneas. Tena scin in midstroma, which was observed in some cases, correlated with d ecreased visual acuity. In normal central corneas, tenascin was never found. Other major ECM abnormalities in PBK/ABK corneas compared to no rmals included: discontinuous epithelial BM staining for laminin-1 (al pha 1 beta 1 gamma 1), entactin/nidogen and fibronectin; accumulation of fibronectin and alpha 1-alpha 2 type IV collagen on the endothelial face of the Descemet's membrane; and abnormal deposition of stromal E CM (tenascin, fibronectin, decorin, types I, III, V, VI, VIII, XII, XI V collagen) and BM components (type IV collagen, perlecan, bamacan, la minin-l, entactin-nidogen, fibronectin) in SEF areas and in PCL. Concl usions. This study provides a molecular description of an ongoing fibr osis on the epithelial, stromal, and endothelial levels in PBK/ABK cor neas. These fibrotic changes may follow initial endothelial damage aft er cataract surgery, may be caused by the upregulation of fibrogenic c ytokines, and may play a significant role in the progression of bullou s keratopathy.