Fibrillin-2, tenascin-C, matrilin-2, and matrilin-4 are strongly expressed in the epithelium of human granular and lattice type I corneal dystrophies.

Abstract

PURPOSE:

To determine the extracellular matrix proteins involved in the formation of human granular and lattice type I corneal stromal dystrophies, the expression patterns of fibrillin-2, tenascin-C, matrilin-2, and matrilin-4 were compared in human corneal stromal dystrophy samples.

METHODS:

Ten cases of granular dystrophy, 7 cases of lattice dystrophy, and 6 normal corneal buttons collected during corneal transplantation were examined for their expression patterns of fibrillin-2, tenascin-C, matrilin-2, and matrilin-4 by immunohistochemistry.

RESULTS:

Highly elevated fibrillin-2, tenascin-C, matrilin-2, and matrilin-4 were observed in the epithelial layer of both granular and lattice type I dystrophies. Fibrillin-2, tenascin-C, and matrilin-4 in the granular dystrophy and all antibodies in the lattice dystrophy showed statistically significant staining in the corneal stroma (p<0.05). Interestingly, fibrillin-2, matrilin-2, and matrilin-4 stained significantly in amyloid plaques of lattice type 1 dystrophy.

CONCLUSIONS:

Fibrillin-2, tenascin-C, matrilin-2, and matrilin-4 may be markers of the pathogenesis of either granular or lattice type I corneal dystrophy, as revealed by immunohistochemical analysis. Each molecule seems to be involved in the regeneration and reorganization of the corneal matrix in granular and lattice type I dystrophies.

• Authors: Eszter Szalai, Szabolcs Felszeghy, Zoltán Hegyi, László Módis Jr, András Berta, Kai Kaarniranta
• Journal: Molecular vision (Mol Vis) Vol. 18 Pg. 1927-36 ( 2012) ISSN: 1090-0535 [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 22876117 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Extracellular Matrix Proteins
• FBN2 protein, human
• Fibrillin-2
• Fibrillins
• Genetic Markers
• Glycoproteins
• MATN2 protein, human
• MATN4 protein, human
• Matrilin Proteins
• Microfilament Proteins
• Tenascin

Topics

• Adult
• Case-Control Studies
• Corneal Dystrophies, Hereditary (genetics, metabolism, pathology)
• Corneal Stroma (metabolism, pathology)
• Epithelium, Corneal (metabolism, pathology)
• Extracellular Matrix Proteins (genetics, metabolism)
• Female
• Fibrillin-2
• Fibrillins
• Gene Expression
• Genetic Markers
• Glycoproteins (genetics, metabolism)
• Humans
• Immunohistochemistry
• Matrilin Proteins
• Microfilament Proteins (genetics, metabolism)
• Tenascin (genetics, metabolism)
• Up-Regulation