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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.
Cornea
|September 19, 1997
Summary
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.