Related Experiment Videos
RANTES production in a conjunctival epithelial cell line
K Fukagawa1, H Saito, K Tsubota
1Department of Allergy and Immunology, National Children's Medical Research Center, Tokyo, Japan.
Purpose:
Although corneal tissue damage in allergic ocular diseases is thought to be induced by inflammatory cells that infiltrate from conjunctival tissue, the mechanisms of recruiting these cells remain unclear. The objective of this study was to demonstrate whether conjunctival epithelial cells have the ability to produce "regulated on activation, normal T-cell expressed and secreted" (RANTES). To test this hypothesis, we investigated RANTES expression in the conjunctival tissue and also RANTES production by cytokine stimulation in a human conjunctival epithelial cell line.
Methods:
We investigated the expression of the chemokine RANTES in conjunctival epithelium from two patients with atopic keratoconjunctivitis (AKC) and one patient with vernal keratoconjunctivitis (VKC) by using immunohistochemistry. We also investigated the production and suppression of RANTES from a human conjunctival epithelial cell line, Wong-Kilbourne-derived human conjunctiva (WK-hC) by using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).
Results:
Conjunctival epithelium from a patient with AKC stained positively for RANTES. We found that tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) induced de novo production of RANTES, and interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) synergistically increased the TNF-alpha-dependent production of RANTES from WK-hC cells. Dexamethasone suppressed the RANTES production from the cell line.
Conclusion:
Taken together, human conjunctival epithelial cells were capable of producing RANTES in response to inflammatory stimuli such as TNF-alpha and may play a role in recruiting inflammatory cells such as eosinophils and T lymphocytes toward the ocular surface.
Insights
Human conjunctival epithelial cells produce RANTES, a key chemokine involved in allergic eye disease. Inflammatory signals like TNF-alpha stimulate RANTES production, which may recruit inflammatory cells to the ocular surface.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Immunology
- Cell Biology
Background:
- Allergic ocular diseases cause corneal damage via inflammatory cell infiltration.
- Mechanisms of inflammatory cell recruitment to conjunctival tissue are not fully understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if conjunctival epithelial cells produce regulated on activation, normal T-cell expressed and secreted (RANTES).
- To examine RANTES expression in conjunctival tissue and its production by human conjunctival epithelial cells stimulated with cytokines.
Main Methods:
- Immunohistochemistry used to detect RANTES in conjunctival epithelium from patients with atopic keratoconjunctivitis (AKC) and vernal keratoconjunctivitis (VKC).
- Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) assessed RANTES production and suppression in a human conjunctival epithelial cell line (WK-hC).
Main Results:
- RANTES was detected in conjunctival epithelium of an AKC patient.
- Tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) induced RANTES production in WK-hC cells.
- Interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) synergistically enhanced TNF-alpha-induced RANTES production, while dexamethasone suppressed it.
Conclusions:
- Human conjunctival epithelial cells can produce RANTES in response to inflammatory stimuli like TNF-alpha.
- Conjunctival epithelial cell-derived RANTES may contribute to recruiting inflammatory cells, such as eosinophils and T lymphocytes, to the ocular surface in allergic eye conditions.