title: Estrogen and progesterone receptors in vernal keratoconjunctivitis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Sex-related influences have been implicated in the pathogenesis of vernal keratoconjunctivitis (VKC), an allergic eosinophilic disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  The authors evaluated tarsal and bulbar conjunctival biopsies from seven patients with severe and symptomatic VKC for the presence of estrogen and progesterone receptors by using monoclonal antibodies with a peroxidase-antiperoxidase technique.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Both the epithelium and subepithelium of the tarsal and bulbar conjunctiva of patients with VKC, but not those of four nonatopic control subjects, showed intense positive staining for estrogen and progesterone receptors. Immunofluorescence colocalization of both estrogen and progesterone receptors with eosinophil cationic protein showed that approximately 70% of positive cells were eosinophils.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Sexual hormones, through their receptors, may influence the activity of eosinophils in patients with VKC.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Italy.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bonini
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lambiase
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schiavone
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Centofanti
authors.forename: L A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Palma
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bonini
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D001706:Biopsy; D001798:Blood Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D002648:Child; D003228:Conjunctiva / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D003233:Conjunctivitis, Allergic / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D047091:Eosinophil Granule Proteins; D004804:Eosinophils / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D019084:Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D018836:Inflammation Mediators / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen / Q000378:metabolism*; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone / Q000378:metabolism*; D012260:Ribonucleases
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D001798:Blood Proteins; D047091:Eosinophil Granule Proteins; D018836:Inflammation Mediators; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone; D012260:Ribonucleases