[Experimental research of the expression of telomerase in corneal limbal epithelial cells].
OBJECTIVE
To explore the possibility of using telomerase as a marker of corneal limbal stem cells.


METHODS
Corneal limbal tissues and central corneal epithelial tissues from 8 rabbits were examined for telomerase activity qualitatively by telomere repeat amplification protocol (TRAP) and quantitatively by detecting the light value with bioluminescent technique. 5-Fu (20 mg) was injected subconjunctivally in 4 rabbits and the other 4 rabbits were not injected.


RESULTS
Telomerase activity was positive in all corneal limbal tissues and negative in all central corneal tissues. Telomerase activity of corneal limbal cells (light value 165,575) was significantly higher than that of central corneal epithelial cells (light value 34,912) by bioluminescent technique (P = 0.001). 5-Fu injection group showed higher telomerase activity than that of the group without injection (light value 145,754) (P = 0.02).


CONCLUSIONS
Positive telomerase activity is detected in the corneal limbal tissues. It suggests that there are cells with high proliferative ability in the corneal limbus. Telomerase activity may be used as a marker of corneal limbal stem cells.
Chen
Hong
H
Department of Ophthalmology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430022, China. chenhongky53@hotmail.com
Zhang
Ming-chang
MC
Hu
Yan-hua
YH
D000818:Animals; D019573:Epithelium, Corneal / Q000166:cytology / Q000201:enzymology; D005260:Female; D016850:Limbus Corneae / Q000166:cytology* / Q000201:enzymology*; D008163:Luminescent Measurements; D008297:Male; D011817:Rabbits; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000201:enzymology*; D019098:Telomerase / Q000378:metabolism*
D019098:Telomerase