Expression of chemokine receptors in vernal keratoconjunctivitis
Ahmed M Abu El-Asrara, Sofie Struyfb, Abdulrahman A Al-Mosallama, Luc Missottenc, Jo Van Dammeb, Karel Geboesd
a Department of
Ophthalmology, College of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi
Arabia, b Rega Institute for Medical Research, Laboratory
of Molecular Immunology, University of Leuven, Belgium, c Department of Ophthalmology, d Laboratory
of Histochemistry and Cytochemistry, University Hospital St Rafael,
University of Leuven, Belgium
Correspondence to: Professor Ahmed M Abu El-Asrar, Department of Ophthalmology, King Abdulaziz University Hospital, Airport Road, PO Box 245, Riyadh 11411, Saudi Arabia abuasrar{at}KSU.edu.sa
Accepted for publication 17 May 2001
BACKGROUND/AIMS
Chemokines
are small peptides which are potent activators and chemoattractants for
leucocyte subpopulations. Their action is mediated by a family of seven
transmembrane spanning G-protein coupled receptors. The aims of this
study were to examine the expression of the chemokine receptors CCR1,
CCR3, CCR5, CXCR3, and CXCR4 in the conjunctiva of patients with vernal
keratoconjunctivitis (VKC) and to investigate the phenotype of
inflammatory cells expressing these chemokine receptors.
METHODSConjunctival
biopsy specimens from 16 patients with active VKC, and eight control
subjects were studied by immunohistochemical techniques using a panel
of monoclonal antibodies directed against human CCR1, CCR3, CCR5,
CXCR3, and CXCR4. The phenotype of inflammatory cells expressing
chemokine receptors was examined by double immunohistochemistry.
RESULTSIn the normal
conjunctiva, few inflammatory cells expressed CXCR3 in five of eight
specimens. There was no immunoreactivity for CCR1, CCR3, CCR5, and
CXCR4. In VKC specimens, membranous immunoreactivity for CXCR3 was
noted on inflammatory cells in all specimens. Compared with control
specimens, VKC specimens showed significantly more inflammatory cells
expressing CXCR3 (54.3 (SD 34.3) v 3.3 (5.0); p<0.001). Few CCR1+, CCR3+,
CCR5+, and CXCR4+ inflammatory cells were
observed in only three of 16 specimens. Double immunohistochemistry
revealed that all CXCR3 positive inflammatory cells were CD3
positive T lymphocytes and that 61.7% (3.7%) of the infiltrating T
lymphocytes were reactive for CXCR3.
CONCLUSIONSCXCR3 is
the predominant chemokine receptor and is expressed abundantly on T
lymphocytes in the conjunctiva of patients with active VKC. These data
suggest a potential role for CXCR3 receptors in the regulation of
lymphocyte recruitment within conjunctiva of VKC patients. New
therapeutic strategies that block CXCR3 may inhibit T lymphocyte
recruitment and suppress adverse inflammatory reactions.
© 2001 by British Journal of Ophthalmology
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