Expression of neurotrophic factors in human primary pterygeal tissue and selective TNF-alpha-induced stimulation of ciliary neurotrophic factor in pterygeal fibroblasts.
Pterygium is a degenerative, fibrovascular and hyperplastic growth resulting from a proliferative tissue actively growing from altered limbal stem cells at the corneal-conjunctival junction. However, the pathogenesis of pterygium is still unclear. The aim of this study was to determine the expression of neurotrophic factors (nerve growth factor (NGF), brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF), and neurotrophin (NT)-3, NT-4/5) in pterygeal tissue and to confirm whether tumor-necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) modulates the expression of these neurotrophic factors in primary cultured pterygeal fibroblasts. We looked for expression of these neurotrophic factors in surgically excised pterygia and normal donor limbal tissues by immunohistochemistry and in primary cultured pterygeal and normal subconjunctival Tenon's fibroblasts by Western blot and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Expression of CNTF and NT-4/5 is increased in pterygeal tissues compared with normal tissue, and production of CNTF is stimulated in pterygeal fibroblasts by TNF-alpha but not in normal fibroblasts. This selective stimulation of CNTF in pterygeal fibroblasts suggests that CNTF may play a role in the pathogenesis of pterygium.
Hong
Samin
S
Department of Ophthalmology, Institute of Vision Research, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Choi
Jin Young
JY
Lee
Hyung Keun
HK
Seong
Gong Je
GJ
Seo
Kyoung Yul
KY
Kim
Eung-Kweon
EK
Byeon
Suk Ho
SH
D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D020934:Ciliary Neurotrophic Factor / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D016850:Limbus Corneae / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D020932:Nerve Growth Factor / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D011625:Pterygium / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000494:pharmacology; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000494:pharmacology*
D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor; D020934:Ciliary Neurotrophic Factor; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D020932:Nerve Growth Factor