Abstract
Purpose: :
To determine whether epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is involved in corneal subepithelial fibrosis (pannus) in tissue surgically removed from patients with total limbal stem cell deficiency.
Methods: :
Frozen sections of pannus tissue removed from 10 human corneas with total limbal stem cell deficiency was examined for their phenotype using anti-keratin (K)-3, K10, K12, K13,15 and K19 monoclonal antibodies.β-catenin and E-cadherin expression were also examined to observe Wnt-pathway activation. p63 and pancytokeratin were used as epithelial markers, and S100A4 andα-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA ) for mesenchymal marker. Epithelium was also removed from pannus after dispase digestion, and cultured for RT-PCR analysis for quantitative analysis.
Results: :
Epithelial basal cells in the pannus showed strong nuclear expression of p63, weak E-cadherin, and translocation of beta-catenin from intercellular junctions to the cytoplasm was observed. Furthermore, p63 and S100A4 positive cells were found in the stroma of the pannus.
Conclusions: :
Epithelial-mesenchymal transition was partially involved in subepithelial corneal fibrosis due to the total limbal stem cell deficiency.
Keywords: EMT (epithelial mesenchymal transition) • cornea: epithelium • cornea: basic science