Epithelial-mesenchymal transition in the pathogenesis of pterygium
Epithelial-mesenchymal transition in the pathogenesis of pterygium
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DOI：
10.2492/inflammregen.28.434
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发表时间：
2008-09
影响因子：
8.1
通讯作者：
Naoko Kato;S. Shimmura
中科院分区：
文献类型：
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作者：
Naoko Kato;S. Shimmura
翼状胬肉是一种翼状的纤维血管结膜生长物，向中心侵入透明角膜，其发病率与阳光照射（紫外线辐射）有关。我们研究了上皮-间质转化（EMT）是否参与翼状胬肉的发病机制。组织学检查显示翼状胬肉上皮下异常纤维化增生，上皮突起延伸至间质。透射电子显微镜显示上皮细胞的解离，其被活化的成纤维细胞样细胞包围。免疫组化还观察到上皮钙粘蛋白的特征性下调以及β-连环蛋白和淋巴增强因子-1在上皮细胞核内的积聚。有趣的是，延伸到基质中的上皮细胞对α-SMA/波形蛋白和细胞角蛋白14均呈阳性。Snail和Slug在正常角膜上皮细胞核中不表达，而在角膜上皮细胞核中表达。提示基底上皮细胞EMT可能在翼状胬肉的发病机制中起重要作用。
A pterygium is a wing-shaped, fibrovascular conjunctival outgrowth, invading centripetally into the clear cornea, and its incidence is associated with sun exposure (ultraviolet radiation). We investigated whether epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is involved in the pathogenesis of pterygium. Histopathology showed aberrant fibrotic proliferation beneath the pterygium epithelium, with epithelial processes extending into the stroma. Transmission electron microscopy revealed the dissociation of epithelial cells, which were surrounded by activated fibroblast-like cells. Characteristic downregulation of E-cadherin and intranuclear accumulation of β-catenin and lymphoid-enhancer-factor -1 in pterygial epithelium were also observed by immunohistology. Interestingly, epithelial cells extending into the stroma were positive for both α-SMA/Vimentin and cytokeratin 14. Snail and Slug were immunopositive in the nuclei of pterygial epithelial cells, but not in normal corneal epithelial cells. These results suggested that EMT of basal epithelial cells may play a key role in the pathogenesis of pterygium.