title: In situ immunohistochemical analysis of cell adhesion molecules on human corneal endothelial cells.
abstract: Interaction of leucocytes with human corneal endothelial cells (HCECs) can be observed in several clinicopathological conditions, such as uveitis, keratitis, and corneal graft rejection. Since leucocyte-endothelial cell interactions involve various adhesion receptors we have analysed the expression and distribution pattern of the neural cell adhesion molecule (NCAM), the intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1), the vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1), the endothelial leucocyte adhesion molecule-1 (ELAM-1), and the cluster of differentiation antigen-44 (CD44) on flat preparations of normal and organ-cultured HCECs. NCAM and ICAM were constitutively expressed on HCECs whereas VCAM-1, ELAM-1, and CD44 were absent from normal HCECs. However flat mounts of HCECs from organ-culture preserved corneas showed a mosaic-like distribution pattern of VCAM-1 and ELAM-1 positive cells and garland-like clusters of CD44 positive cells. We suggest that modulation of ELAM-1, VCAM-1, and CD44 expression on HCECs may contribute to the regulation of leucocytes-HCECs interaction in the case of anterior segment inflammation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, University of Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: B J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Foets
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: van den Oord
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Volpes
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Missotten
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules / Q000032:analysis*; D015816:Cell Adhesion Molecules, Neuronal / Q000032:analysis*; D019040:E-Selectin; D004728:Endothelium, Corneal / Q000737:chemistry*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008875:Middle Aged; D009924:Organ Culture Techniques; D016201:Receptors, Lymphocyte Homing / Q000032:analysis; D019010:Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1
chemical_list: D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules; D015816:Cell Adhesion Molecules, Neuronal; D019040:E-Selectin; D016201:Receptors, Lymphocyte Homing; D019010:Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1