Conjunctival epithelium expression of HLA-DR in dry eye patients.
OBJECTIVE
To compare conjunctival epithelium expression of HLA-DR and ICAM-1 with tear dynamics and ocular surface parameters.


METHODS
Brush cytology and flow cytometry were used to quantitatively analyze HLA-DR and ICAM-1 expression in 28 dry eye patients.


RESULTS
HLA-DR was expressed in 66% of the conjunctival cells of dry eye patients. This expression correlates with that of ICAM-1, as well as with the Schirmer test results (p < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
This study confirmed that dry eye consists not only of ocular surface desiccation, but also of upregulation of the HLA-DR and ICAM-1 molecule in the conjunctival epithelium, possibly resulting in increased inflammation.
Tsubota
K
K
Department of Ophthalmology, Tokyo Dental College, Chiba, Japan. kazuo@eyebank.or.jp
Fujihara
T
T
Saito
K
K
Takeuchi
T
T
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D003228:Conjunctiva / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D003287:Contrast Media; D015352:Dry Eye Syndromes / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D004848:Epithelium / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D019793:Fluorescein; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D006801:Humans; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012395:Rose Bengal; D012859:Sjogren's Syndrome / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D003287:Contrast Media; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1; D012395:Rose Bengal; D019793:Fluorescein