title: Fibrillin-2, tenascin-C, matrilin-2, and matrilin-4 are strongly expressed in the epithelium of human granular and lattice type I corneal dystrophies.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the extracellular matrix proteins involved in the formation of human granular and lattice type I corneal stromal dystrophies, the expression patterns of fibrillin-2, tenascin-C, matrilin-2, and matrilin-4 were compared in human corneal stromal dystrophy samples.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ten cases of granular dystrophy, 7 cases of lattice dystrophy, and 6 normal corneal buttons collected during corneal transplantation were examined for their expression patterns of fibrillin-2, tenascin-C, matrilin-2, and matrilin-4 by immunohistochemistry.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Highly elevated fibrillin-2, tenascin-C, matrilin-2, and matrilin-4 were observed in the epithelial layer of both granular and lattice type I dystrophies. Fibrillin-2, tenascin-C, and matrilin-4 in the granular dystrophy and all antibodies in the lattice dystrophy showed statistically significant staining in the corneal stroma (p<0.05). Interestingly, fibrillin-2, matrilin-2, and matrilin-4 stained significantly in amyloid plaques of lattice type 1 dystrophy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Fibrillin-2, tenascin-C, matrilin-2, and matrilin-4 may be markers of the pathogenesis of either granular or lattice type I corneal dystrophy, as revealed by immunohistochemical analysis. Each molecule seems to be involved in the regeneration and reorganization of the corneal matrix in granular and lattice type I dystrophies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, University of Debrecen, Medical and Health Science Center, Debrecen, Hungary.
authors.forename: Eszter
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Szalai
authors.forename: Szabolcs
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Felszeghy
authors.forename: Zoltán
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Hegyi
authors.forename: László
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Módis
authors.forename: András
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Berta
authors.forename: Kai
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kaarniranta
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003317:Corneal Dystrophies, Hereditary / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D003319:Corneal Stroma / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D019573:Epithelium, Corneal / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D016326:Extracellular Matrix Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D000071840:Fibrillin-2; D000071837:Fibrillins; D015870:Gene Expression; D005819:Genetic Markers; D006023:Glycoproteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D064235:Matrilin Proteins; D008840:Microfilament Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D019063:Tenascin / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D015854:Up-Regulation
chemical_list: D016326:Extracellular Matrix Proteins; C000605723:FBN2 protein, human; D000071840:Fibrillin-2; D000071837:Fibrillins; D005819:Genetic Markers; D006023:Glycoproteins; C577541:MATN2 protein, human; C577548:MATN4 protein, human; D064235:Matrilin Proteins; D008840:Microfilament Proteins; D019063:Tenascin