Sialyl Lewis X, Lewis X, and N-acetyllactosamine expression on normal and glaucomatous eyes.
OBJECTIVE
Sialyl Lewis X (sLex), Lewis X (Lex), and N-acetyllactosamine are carbohydrate chains of neolactoglycoconjugates which are expressed by specific cell types and are important in the functioning of cells within an organism. This study attempts to determine the expression of these glycoconjugates on the conjunctiva, cornea, and trabecular meshwork (TM) of both normal and glaucomatous eyes.


METHODS
Frozen anterior segment sections of both normal and glaucomatous human cadaver eyes, as well as rabbit eyes, were stained with a panel of monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) to neolactoglycoconjugates using an Avidin Biotin Peroxidase Complex/Alkaline Phosphatase staining method.


RESULTS
SLex characteristically stained both human conjunctival and corneal epithelia in normal (n=5) and glaucomatous (n=5) sections. SLex stained corneal and conjunctival epithelia of glaucomatous eyes much more intensely than normal eyes. Rabbit cornea sections stained for sLex, Lex, and N-acetyllactosamine. However, human cornea only consistently stained with sLex. Normal and glaucomatous human TM sections did not stain for sLex, Lex, or N-acetyllactosamine.


CONCLUSIONS
The expression of glycoconjugates with sLex side chains appears to be upregulated in the conjunctival and corneal epithelia of glaucomatous eyes. Distinct species specific differences were noted in Lex and N-acetyllactosamine staining patterns in rabbit and human corneal epithelia.
Terraciano
A J
AJ
New England Eye Center, New England Medical Center, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA 02111, USA.
Wang
N
N
Schuman
J S
JS
Haffner
G
G
Panjwani
N
N
Zhao
Z
Z
Yang
Z
Z
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000606:Amino Sugars / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D000869:Anterior Eye Segment / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D003228:Conjunctiva / Q000378:metabolism; D003315:Cornea / Q000378:metabolism; D005901:Glaucoma / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D006001:Glycoconjugates / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D016256:Lewis X Antigen / Q000378:metabolism*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009844:Oligosaccharides / Q000378:metabolism*; D011817:Rabbits; D000080506:Sialyl Lewis X Antigen; D014129:Trabecular Meshwork / Q000378:metabolism; D015854:Up-Regulation
D000606:Amino Sugars; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D006001:Glycoconjugates; D016256:Lewis X Antigen; D009844:Oligosaccharides; D000080506:Sialyl Lewis X Antigen; C000458:N-acetyllactosamine