PURPOSE: The study was conducted to elucidate the detailed expression pattern of angiogenesis-related factors in human ocular surface epithelium. The focus was factors with significantly higher gene expression in corneal epithelium (CE) than in conjunctival epithelium (CJE). METHODS: The relative gene expression of 36 angiogenesis-related factors was compared in human CE and CJE, by using the introduced amplified fragment-length polymorphism (iAFLP) METHOD: Also examined were the expression patterns in the CE, limbal epithelium (LE), and CJE of factors with significantly higher expression in the CE, by using real-time PCR, in situ hybridization, immunohistochemistry, and immunoelectron microscopy. RESULTS: Only thrombospondin (TSP)-1 exhibited significantly higher expression in the CE. In situ hybridization and real-time PCR showed TSP-1 transcripts in the basal cells of the CE and LE. Compared with the CJE, they were significantly upregulated at those sites. Immunohistochemistry revealed that TSP-1 was strongly expressed in the basal region of the CE. Its expression was faint in LE and absent in CJE. Immunoelectron microscopy revealed that the CE and LE demonstrated TSP-1 labeling just below the epithelium, in the basal region of basal cells, and occasionally in the basal cell membrane. There was little or no labeling in the CJE. CONCLUSIONS: In the human ocular surface epithelium, basal cells of the CE and LE, but not of the CJE, synthesize TSP-1. High levels of TSP-1 are present only just below the CE. Its unique distribution may be related to corneal avascularity and integrity.
PURPOSE: The study was conducted to elucidate the detailed expression pattern of angiogenesis-related factors in human ocular surface epithelium. The focus was factors with significantly higher gene expression in corneal epithelium (CE) than in conjunctival epithelium (CJE). METHODS: The relative gene expression of 36 angiogenesis-related factors was compared in human CE and CJE, by using the introduced amplified fragment-length polymorphism (iAFLP) METHOD: Also examined were the expression patterns in the CE, limbal epithelium (LE), and CJE of factors with significantly higher expression in the CE, by using real-time PCR, in situ hybridization, immunohistochemistry, and immunoelectron microscopy. RESULTS: Only thrombospondin (TSP)-1 exhibited significantly higher expression in the CE. In situ hybridization and real-time PCR showed TSP-1 transcripts in the basal cells of the CE and LE. Compared with the CJE, they were significantly upregulated at those sites. Immunohistochemistry revealed that TSP-1 was strongly expressed in the basal region of the CE. Its expression was faint in LE and absent in CJE. Immunoelectron microscopy revealed that the CE and LE demonstrated TSP-1 labeling just below the epithelium, in the basal region of basal cells, and occasionally in the basal cell membrane. There was little or no labeling in the CJE. CONCLUSIONS: In the human ocular surface epithelium, basal cells of the CE and LE, but not of the CJE, synthesize TSP-1. High levels of TSP-1 are present only just below the CE. Its unique distribution may be related to corneal avascularity and integrity.
Authors: Dimitrios Karamichos; Celeste B Rich; Ramin Zareian; Audrey E K Hutcheon; Jeffrey W Ruberti; Vickery Trinkaus-Randall; James D Zieske Journal: Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci Date: 2013-10-09 Impact factor: 4.799
Authors: William Foulsham; Thomas H Dohlman; Sharad K Mittal; Yukako Taketani; Rohan Bir Singh; Sharmila Masli; Reza Dana Journal: Ocul Surf Date: 2019-06-05 Impact factor: 5.033
Authors: Laura Contreras-Ruiz; Denise S Ryan; Rose K Sia; Kraig S Bower; Darlene A Dartt; Sharmila Masli Journal: Ophthalmology Date: 2014-03-27 Impact factor: 12.079