title: Expression of S100B during the innate immune of corneal epithelium against fungi invasion.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore the expression of S100B in corneal epithelial cells under Aspergillus stimulation both in vivo and in vitro.
  
  
  METHODS
  Immortalized human corneal epithelial cells (HCECs) were exposed to inactive Aspergillus fumigatus (A. fumigatus) conidia at 0, 4, 8, 12, 16, and 24h respectively. The corneas of Wistar rats were exposed to active A. fumigatus at 0, 12, 24, 48h and the normal rat corneas were used for normal control. The mRNA level of S100B was evaluated by real time quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). S100B protein expression in cornea epithelium was detected by immunohistochemical/immunocytochemical staining (IHC/ICC).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Histopathology revealed a significant inflammatory cell infiltration in fungal keratitis human and rat cornea. Corneal epithelial cells didn't express or rarely express S100B at baseline. A. fumigatus significantly induced S100B mRNA expression in cultured corneal epithelial cells in a time depended manner in vitro, the mRNA began to rise significantly at 8h in vitro (P<0.05) and continue to rise as time prolonged (P<0.01). In vivo, S100B mRNA level was low in the normal corneas. However, it was increased in keratitis corneas from 12h after infection (P<0.05) and reached to a peak at 24h (P<0.001). Immunochemistry revealed an obvious staining in fungal keratitis corneas as well as immortalized HCECs compared to the normal ones respectively, indicating an increased expression of S100B protein.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  S100B exists in corneal epithelial cells and is over-expressed under A. fumigatus stimulation. S100B may play an important role in the innate immune response of the corneal epithelium during A. fumigatus infection.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, the Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao 266003, Shandong Province, China.
authors.forename: Jie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, the Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao 266003, Shandong Province, China.
authors.forename: Gui-Qiu
authors.initials: GQ
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: Department of Administrative Management, the Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao 266003, Shandong Province, China.
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Qu
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, the Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao 266003, Shandong Province, China.
authors.forename: Cheng-Ye
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Che
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, the Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao 266003, Shandong Province, China.
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, the Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao 266003, Shandong Province, China.
authors.forename: Nan
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, the Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao 266003, Shandong Province, China.
authors.forename: Han
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacy, the Second People's Hospital of Linyi, Linyi 276499, Shandong Province, China.
authors.forename: Xue-Jun
authors.initials: XJ
authors.lastname: Wang
keywords: Aspergillus fumigates; S100B; cornea; innate immunity