title: Expression of interleukin-1 receptor antagonist in human cornea.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to confirm the expression of interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1 Ra) in the human cornea. Four samples of human ex vivo corneal epithelium were obtained from patients undergoing photorefractive keratectomy. RT-PCR was performed using mRNA isolated from the corneal epithelium and oligo-dT primers. PCR was performed on the cDNA products using primers specific for human IL-1 Ra. The PCR products were subcloned and sequenced. Human cornea sections were prepared from eyes enucleated for choroidal melanoma. Immunocytochemistry was performed using goat anti-mouse polyclonal IL-1 Ra IgG and NL-577 conjugated donkey anti-goat IgG. IL-1 Ra mRNA was expressed in all ex vivo corneal epithelium samples as confirmed by sequencing of the PCR products. Immunofluorescence studies revealed strongest expression of IL-1 Ra in the superficial apical layer of corneal epithelium. Expression of IL-1 Ra may represent an endogenous mechanism of down-regulating the effects of epithelial- and tear-derived IL-1alpha and IL-1beta on the intact epithelium in the unwounded cornea and stromal cells after injury.
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Heur
authors.forename: Shyam S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Chaurasia
authors.forename: Steven E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Wilson
mesh_terms: D019573:Epithelium, Corneal / Q000378:metabolism*; D015870:Gene Expression; D006801:Humans; D053590:Interleukin 1 Receptor Antagonist Protein / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D018903:Photorefractive Keratectomy
chemical_list: D053590:Interleukin 1 Receptor Antagonist Protein