Gal alpha(1-3)Gal expression of the cornea in vitro, in vivo and in xenotransplantation.
BACKGROUND
To investigate alpha Gal (Gal alpha1-3Gal beta 1-4GlcNAc-R) expression of the porcine cornea in vitro, in vivo and after xenotransplantation.


METHODS
Using the GS-IB4 lectin (Griffonia simplifolia I isolectin B4), the expression of alpha Gal was evaluated in the normal porcine cornea and in cultured corneal stromal and endothelial cells of the second passages. The distribution of alpha Gal epitopes was also evaluated in corneal grafts at 4, 7 and 10 days after pig-to-rat orthotopic corneal transplantation.


RESULTS
The expression of alpha Gal was mostly confined to the anterior stromal keratocytes of the normal porcine cornea. However, reactivity for GS-IB4 was markedly increased during cell culture passage (P)-by 18.0% (P1) and 39.0% (P2) in cultivated keratocytes, and by 62.1% (P1) and 87.1% (P2) in cultured endothelial cells. The expression of alpha Gal epitopes was gradually enhanced in all corneal layers of the graft after transplantation.


CONCLUSIONS
Alpha Gal expression in the cornea was gradually induced during in vitro culture and after xenotransplantation, suggesting a role of putative Gal-related acute humoral rejection in porcine corneal xenotransplantation.
Lee
Hyeon Ii
HI
Seoul Artificial Eye Center, Seoul National University Hospital Clinical Research Institute, Seoul, Korea.
Kim
Mee Kum
MK
Oh
Joo Youn
JY
Ko
Jung Hwa
JH
Lee
Hyun Ju
HJ
Wee
Won Ryang
WR
Lee
Jin Hak
JH
D000818:Animals; D000910:Antibodies, Heterophile / Q000276:immunology; D015478:Antigens, Heterophile / Q000276:immunology; D003315:Cornea / Q000378:metabolism*; D016039:Corneal Transplantation / Q000502:physiology*; D004187:Disaccharides / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000378:metabolism*; D031295:Griffonia; D037121:Plant Lectins / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D013552:Swine; D014183:Transplantation, Heterologous / Q000502:physiology*
D000910:Antibodies, Heterophile; D015478:Antigens, Heterophile; D004187:Disaccharides; C045475:Griffonia simplicifolia lectins; D037121:Plant Lectins; C055075:galactosyl-(1-3)galactose