Adhesion molecules in iris biopsy specimens from patients with uveitis
- Ellen La Heija,
- Robert W A M Kuijpersa,
- Seerp G Baarsmac,
- Aize Kijlstrad,
- Marcel van der Weidenb,
- Cornelia M Mooya,b
- aDepartment of Ophthalmology, University Hospital Rotterdam, Dijkzigt, Netherlands, bDepartment of Pathology, Erasmus University Rotterdam, Netherlands, cEye Hospital Rotterdam, Netherlands, dNetherlands Ophthalmic Research Institute Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Dr E La Heij, Academisch Ziekenhuis Maastricht, Postbus 5800, 6202 AZ Maastricht, Netherlands.
- Accepted 6 November 1997
Abstract
BACKGROUND/AIMS Earlier studies on intraocular tissue have demonstrated that T lymphocytes play a major role in the pathogenesis of uveitis. Adhesion molecules are immunoregulatory molecules for the interaction between T lymphocytes and vascular endothelium and they play an important role in the recruitment of specific T lymphocytes from the circulation into inflamed tissue. In uveitis an increased expression of some of these adhesion molecules may be expected.
METHODS The presence of adhesion molecules was investigated in iris biopsy specimens from 11 patients with uveitis and eight controls (patients with primary open angle glaucoma) immunohistochemically with a panel of monoclonal antibodies: LECAM (CD 62L), ICAM-1 (CD 54), LFA-1 (CD 11a/18), VCAM-1 (CD 106), VLA-4 (CD 49d), and HECA-452, a marker for high endothelial venules.
RESULTS Positive staining for ICAM-1, LFA-1 and VCAM-1 was found in the iris in a significantly higher number of uveitis patients than in controls. The remaining adhesion molecules were also found in a higher number of uveitis patients than in controls, but this difference did not reach statistical significance.
CONCLUSION An increased expression of adhesion molecules was found in the iris of patients with uveitis, indicating an immunoregulatory function for adhesion molecules in the pathogenesis of uveitis.
