title: Cellular and humoral anticorneal immune response in corneal transplantation.
abstract: Immunologic responses play a role in the rejection process of corneal transplants. Both histocompatibility antigens and tissue-specific antigens may be potential targets for such an immune response. To identify relevant responses, the humoral immune response against corneal tissue and the cellular immune response against one specific corneal protein were determined in patients before and after corneal transplantation. The results were compared with known risk factors for corneal transplantation, but no correlations were observed. A conversion from negative to positive in cellular immune response against the cornea-specific protein was seen in patients who had experienced an inflammatory episode during the time interval between measurements. The anticorneal protein response may therefore be the result of an intraocular inflammatory response, but not a prognostic factor to help predict the patients at risk for rejection.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Jager
authors.forename: H J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Völker-Dieben
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vos
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Broersma
authors.forename: F G
authors.initials: FG
authors.lastname: Kok
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: van der Gaag
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000444:Aldehyde Dehydrogenase; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000032:analysis; D003315:Cornea / Q000276:immunology*; D003316:Corneal Diseases / Q000276:immunology*; D016039:Corneal Transplantation / Q000276:immunology*; D005136:Eye Proteins / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D006801:Humans; D007111:Immunity, Cellular; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D001323:Autoantibodies; D005136:Eye Proteins; C030863:corneal protein 54, bovine; D000444:Aldehyde Dehydrogenase