Laminins in normal, keratoconus, bullous keratopathy and scarred human corneas.

Abstract	The laminin composition (LMalpha1-alpha5, beta1-beta3, gamma1 and gamma2 chains) of normal corneas and corneal buttons from keratoconus, bullous keratopathy (BKP), Fuchs' dystrophy + BKP, Fuchs' dystrophy without BKP and scar after deep lamellar keratoplasty (DLKP) was investigated with immunohistochemistry. The epithelial basement membranes (BMs) of both normal and diseased corneas contained LMalpha3, alpha5, beta1, beta3, gamma1 and gamma2 chains. The epithelial BM morphology was altered in the different diseases. Scarring was associated with irregular BM and ectopic stromal localization of different laminin chains. The Descemet's membrane (DM) contained LMalpha5, beta1 and gamma1 chains in all cases and additionally LMbeta3 and gamma2 chains in the majority of keratoconus corneas. The interface in the DLKP cornea had patches of LMalpha3, alpha4, alpha5, beta1 and beta2 chains, and an extra BM-like structure under the Bowman's membrane. These results suggest that laminin chains participate in the process of corneal scarring and in the pathogenesis of some corneal diseases. The novel finding of LMalpha3, beta3 and gamma2 in the DM of keratoconus buttons indicates that this membrane is also involved in the disease and that some cases of keratoconus may have a congenital origin, without normal downregulation of the LMbeta3 chain.
Authors	Berit Byström, Ismo Virtanen, Patricia Rousselle, Kaoru Miyazaki, Christina Lindén, Fatima Pedrosa Domellöf
Journal	Histochemistry and cell biology (Histochem Cell Biol) Vol. 127 Issue 6 Pg. 657-67 (Jun 2007) ISSN: 0948-6143 [Print] Germany
PMID	17492460 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)
Chemical References	Laminin
Topics	Adult Aged Aged, 80 and over Basement Membrane (metabolism) Blister (metabolism, pathology) Cicatrix (etiology, metabolism, pathology) Cornea (chemistry, metabolism, pathology) Female Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect Humans Keratoconus (metabolism, pathology) Keratoplasty, Penetrating (adverse effects, pathology) Laminin (analysis, metabolism) Male Middle Aged Postoperative Complications

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