title: Role of TGF-β in tissue eosinophilia associated with vernal keratoconjunctivitis.
abstract: To determine the role of TGF-β(1) in the tissue eosinophilia associated with vernal keratoconjunctivitis (VKC), we investigated the immunohistochemical expression of TGF-β(1) and TGF-β(1)-related proteins in giant papillae obtained from VKC patients. We also investigated the effect of TGF-β(1) on production of eotaxin by cultured conjunctival and corneal fibroblasts using ELISA. Finally, the effects of glucocorticoids, cyclosporine, and tacrolimus on eotaxin production by corneal fibroblasts were assessed. Our investigations revealed that eosinophils expressing TGF-β(1) and TGF-β(1)-related proteins (such as phosphorylated Smad2, integrin αvβ(6), α-smooth muscle actin, type I procollagen, and tenascin-C) were expressed in the giant papillae. TGF-β(1) and IL-4/IL-13 caused a synergistic increase of eotaxin production in cultured conjunctival and corneal fibroblasts. This effect of TGF-β(1) and IL-4/IL-13 was inhibited by glucocorticoids, but neither by cyclosporine nor by tacrolimus. In conclusion, TGF-β(1) has an important role in the tissue eosinophilia associated with VKC.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Juntendo University School of Medicine, 3-1-3 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8431, Japan.
authors.forename: Kaori
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ohtomo
authors.forename: Nobuyuki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ebihara
authors.forename: Akira
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Matsuda
authors.forename: Tomoko
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tokura
authors.forename: Toshinari
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Funaki
authors.forename: Akira
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Murakami
mesh_terms: D000199:Actins / Q000378:metabolism; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm / Q000378:metabolism; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D054413:Chemokine CCL11 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D002648:Child; D024042:Collagen Type I / Q000378:metabolism; D003228:Conjunctiva / Q000166:cytology; D003233:Conjunctivitis, Allergic / Q000378:metabolism*; D003315:Cornea / Q000166:cytology; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D004802:Eosinophilia / Q000378:metabolism*; D004804:Eosinophils / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000378:metabolism; D019084:Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D016023:Integrins / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010766:Phosphorylation; D051899:Smad2 Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D019063:Tenascin / Q000378:metabolism; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1 / Q000502:physiology*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: C541116:ACTA2 protein, human; D000199:Actins; D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm; C515456:CCL11 protein, human; D054413:Chemokine CCL11; D024042:Collagen Type I; D005938:Glucocorticoids; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D016023:Integrins; C497782:SMAD2 protein, human; D051899:Smad2 Protein; D019063:Tenascin; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1; C073878:integrin alphavbeta6