Novel expression and characterization of lymphatic vessel endothelial hyaluronate receptor 1 (LYVE-1) by conjunctival cells.
OBJECTIVE
Lymphatic vessel endothelial hyaluronic acid receptor (LYVE-1) is a newly discovered lymphatic-specific marker. To date, there is no report of its expression on conjunctival cells. The purpose of this study was to investigate the expression of LYVE-1 in normal conjunctiva, to phenotype LYVE-1+ cells, and to study changes in their expression levels during corneal inflammation.


METHODS
Flat-mounted conjunctivae or cross sections of eyeballs were harvested from BALB/c mice (6-8 weeks of age) for immunofluorescent confocal microscopic studies.


RESULTS
The data demonstrate, for the first time, that in addition to its expression on lymphatic vessels, LYVE-1 was expressed on CD45+, CD11b+, and CD31- conjunctival cells, indicating a bone-marrow-derived monocytic lineage. Surprisingly, the number of cells that expressed LYVE-1 decreased during corneal inflammation, in conjunction with ingrowth of lymphatics into the cornea.


CONCLUSIONS
A new population of monocytic cells has been found to express LYVE-1 in normal conjunctiva. These cells that normally express LYVE-1 may act as a reservoir for lymphangiogenesis and cell recruitment when the immune system is challenged.
Chen
Lu
L
Laboratory of Immunology, Schepens Eye Research Institute, Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Department of Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02114, USA.
Cursiefen
Claus
C
Barabino
Stefano
S
Zhang
Qiang
Q
Dana
M Reza
MR
D000818:Animals; D039481:CD11b Antigen / Q000378:metabolism; D003228:Conjunctiva / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D016510:Corneal Neovascularization / Q000378:metabolism; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D019084:Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect; D006023:Glycoproteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D007634:Keratitis / Q000378:metabolism; D017493:Leukocyte Common Antigens / Q000378:metabolism; D042601:Lymphatic Vessels / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D010641:Phenotype; D019408:Platelet Endothelial Cell Adhesion Molecule-1 / Q000378:metabolism
D039481:CD11b Antigen; D006023:Glycoproteins; D017493:Leukocyte Common Antigens; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins; D019408:Platelet Endothelial Cell Adhesion Molecule-1; C492273:LYVE1 protein, mouse