TFF Peptides in Corneal Diseases and Pterygium

Abstract

Abstract: : Purpose: The expression of TFF peptides within the central cornea of 10 cadavers and 32 patients suffering from keratoconus, herpetic keratitis, Fuchs' dystrophy and pterygium was analyzed. Methods: Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT–PCR) and immunohistochemistry. Results: TFF1 and TFF3 transcripts were detected in healthy corneae as well as in pterygia. Only TFF3 mRNA was transcribed in keratoconus, Fuchs’ dystrophy and herpetic keratitis. Immunohistochemistry revealed absence of all three TFF peptides in healthy corneae but production of TFF3 in each of the affected corneae. In keratoconus, TFF3 was expressed in all three layers of the cornea. Tissue samples of patients with Fuchs' dystrophy showed TFF3 expression in the corneal epithelium and the stroma. In herpetic keratitis TFF3 expression was observed in the epithelium and the stroma close to the herpetic lesions. In pterygia both TFF1 and TFF3 synthesis was detectable in goblet cells. Conclusions:TFF peptides are known to induce cell scattering, they have anti–apoptotic properties and they promote migration of epithelial cells in vitro. The absence of TFF peptide production in the healthy cornea indicates that TFF3 secretion is induced in different corneal diseases by yet unknown stimuli. Here TFF3 synthesis can be interpreted as a protection mechanism, because all corneal diseases analyzed are characterized by progressive tissue destruction. TFF1 and TFF3 production by goblet cells in pterygia is comparable to the healthy conjunctiva suggesting that TFF peptides do not play a significant role in the pathogenesis of pterygia.

Keywords: keratitis • wound healing • cornea: epithelium