Chronic TLR9 activation as a mechanism for granulomatous reaction in the cornea

由于微生物感染引起的角膜混浊是全球失明的主要原因。我们的新数据表明，角膜中病毒/细菌DNA的存在诱导多核巨细胞的形成，这是病毒诱导的角膜疾病中常见的肉芽肿反应的标志。了解炎症角膜中巨噬细胞分化的机制和动力学可能会导致眼睛和其他器官慢性炎症的新治疗方法。

Corneal opacities due to microbial infections are a major cause of blindness globally. Our novel data show that the presence of viral/bacterial DNA in the cornea induces formation of multinucleated giant cells, which are hallmarks of granulomatous reaction commonly seen in viral-induced corneal disease. Understanding the mechanisms and kinetics of macrophage differentiation in the inflamed cornea may lead to novel treatments for chronic inflammatory conditions in the eye and in other organs.