title: The effects of corneal endothelium on graft survival in a murine model of lamellar keratoplasty.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Here we investigate the role of donor endothelium on allograft rejection in a lamellar keratoplasty (LK) model using grafts with or without donor endothelium.
  
  
  METHODS
  Corneal buttons of donor C57BL/6 mice (2.0 mm) were transplanted to lamellar recipient beds (1.5 mm) in BALB/c mice. Two variations of the LK procedure were performed: (1) standard LK (SLK) (n = 13) without donor endothelium and (2) modified LK (MLK) (n = 14) with retained donor endothelium. The graft status was assessed by slit lamp biomicroscopy and scored for stromal opacity, corneal edema, neovascularization, and anterior chamber reaction up to 46 days post-transplantation. Corneas were also observed histologically.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The presence of a grafted corneal endothelium promoted graft rejection; 92.9% (13/14) of grafts were rejected in MLK after an average of 8.3 days, while 69.2% (9/13) of grafts were rejected in SLK on average 10.8 days after transplantation. The former's stromal opacity was significantly greater at all time points after day 14 except for day 21 (p = 0.77) and day 32 (p = 0.25). Corneal edema was significantly greater in the former at all time points after day 10 except for day 21 (p = 0.16). Neovascularization was significantly greater in the former at all time points after day 10 except for day 25 (p = 0.22).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Variations of this model of LK may be useful for studies of immunological mechanisms in corneal transplantation. The donor corneal endothelium may serve as a target of the immune response which promotes inflammation, neovascularization, and graft rejection.
authors: Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology of the Ministry of Education and Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China. htls2009 @ yahoo.cn
authors: Ting
authors: T
authors: Huang
authors: Ellen J
authors: EJ
authors: Lee
authors: Stephen R
authors: SR
authors: Planck
authors: James T
authors: JT
authors: Rosenbaum
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016510:Corneal Neovascularization / Q000473:pathology; D003318:Corneal Opacity / Q000473:pathology; D016039:Corneal Transplantation / Q000379:methods*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004728:Endothelium, Corneal / Q000473:pathology / Q000637:transplantation*; D005260:Female; D006085:Graft Survival / Q000502:physiology*; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL