Abstract

AIMS Apolipoprotein J (apoJ) and apolipoprotein E (apoE) are thought to contribute to amyloid formation in patients with Alzheimer’s disease. The aim of this investigation was to discover whether or not these apolipoproteins associate with corneal amyloid in gelatinous drop-like corneal dystrophy (GDCD) and lattice corneal dystrophy type I (LCD-I).

METHODS Corneas from three eyes of three patients with GDCD and one eye of one patient with LCD-I were examined immunohistochemically using antibodies against apoJ and apoE. Two normal corneas were similarly examined. Tissue sections of brain from a patient with Alzheimer’s disease were used as positive controls for the antibodies. For all negative controls, mouse IgG was used instead of the primary antibody.

RESULTS Intense apoJ and apoE immunoreactivities were found in congophilic amyloid deposits in GDCD and LCD-I. These deposits were located subepithelially in GDCD, and subepithelially and intrastromally in LCD-I. In GDCD, immunostaining of subepithelial amyloid with anti-apoJ was noticeably stronger than with anti-apoE.

CONCLUSIONS As in senile plaques in brain from a patient with Alzheimer’s disease, apoJ and apoE co-localise with amyloid in corneas with GDCD and LCD-I.