title: Elevated percentage of HLA-DR⁺ and ICAM-1⁺ conjunctival epithelial cells in active Graves' orbitopathy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  To evaluate if conjunctival epithelial cells' expression of HLA-DR and ICAM-1 could be helpful as early topical markers of inflammation in Graves' orbitopathy (GO).
  
  
  METHODS
  The ocular examination evaluated a clinical activity score (CAS) by assessment of clinical features, (e.g., eyelid or conjunctival inflammation, lid width, lid closure, proptosis, ocular motility). Conjunctival epithelial cell specimens for flow-cytometric evaluations of ICAM-I and HLADR expression were collected by impression cytology from ten eyes with active GO (CAS  ≥  4 and duration  ≤  12 months), from 15 eyes with Graves' disease (GD) without active GO (CAS 0-2) and from 15 normal specimens without any ocular disorders.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The percentage of HLA-DR + conjunctival epithelial cells was significantly elevated in patients with active GO comparing to GD without active GO and healthy controls, 10.7 % (8.5-17.7) and 7.78 % (3.92-10.1) (p < 0.05) vs. control 4.89 % (3.5-5.5) (p < 0.005), respectively. The expression of ICAM - 1+ conjunctival epithelial cells was greater only in patients with GO vs. controls, 5.5 % (4.8-7.03) and 1.46 % (0.69-2.51) (p < 0.005), respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The percentage of HLA-DR⁺ and ICAM-1⁺ conjunctival epithelial cells in patients with the active GO may serve as a topical inflammation marker in Graves' orbitopathy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Ophthalmology with Strabismus Treatment Unit, Medical University of Bialystok, 17 Waszyngtona Str, 15-274, Bialystok, Poland, przemyslaw.pawlowski@umb.edu.pl.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Pawlowski
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mysliwiec
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mrugacz
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zak
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bakunowicz-Lazarczyk
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rejdak
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wysocka
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gorska
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism*; D003228:Conjunctiva / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D049970:Graves Ophthalmopathy / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D016130:Immunophenotyping; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009916:Orbital Diseases / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1