IMMUNOCONFOCAL LOCALIZATION OF GELATINASE-B EXPRESSED BY MIGRATING INTRASTROMAL EPITHELIAL-CELLS AFTER DEEP ANNULAR EXCIMER KERATECTOMY

Purpose. Intrastromal epithelial migration occurs following deep excim er annular keratectomy. Our purpose is to determine the localization o f gelatinase B expression and its relationship to migrating intrastrom al epithelial cells following deep annular excimer keratectomy. Method s. Rabbit corneas were treated with deep annular ablation and harveste d 3, 5, 7 and 14 days following surgery. Histological examination was performed. Confocal microscopy was used to determine the lime and the pattern of gelatinase B expression. This was compared to AE-5, vimenti n, and alpha-smooth muscle actin immunolocalization. Results. Histolog ic examination revealed islands of epithelial cells within the corneal stroma after deep annular excimer ablation, whereas eyes treated with superficial annular keratectomy did not show intrastromal epithelial migration. Immunoconfocal microscopy using monoclonal anti-matrix meta lloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) antibody demonstrated the presence of gelatina se B at the outer borders of the intrastromal epithelial islands follo wing deep annular excimer keratectomy. Conclusion. Gelatinase B may be involved in the process of intrastromal epithelial migration followin g deep annular excimer keratectomy.