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Immunohistochemical HLA-DR antigen expression with lymphocyte subsets and proliferative activity in pterygium
Sevasti Tsironi1, Elli Ioachim, Melpomeni Machera
1Department of Ophthalmology, University of Ioannina, Medical School, 45110 Ioannina, Greece.
Insights
This study reveals that aberrant Human Leukocyte Antigen-DR (HLA-DR) expression and immune cell infiltration are linked to pterygium growth. These immunopathological mechanisms suggest a role in pterygium development.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Immunology
- Cell Biology
Background:
- Pterygium is a common ocular surface growth.
- The role of immune mechanisms and cell proliferation in pterygium pathogenesis is not fully understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the role of immune mechanisms in pterygium.
- To correlate immune cell expression with proliferative activity in pterygium.
Main Methods:
- Immunohistochemistry was used to analyze HLA-DR antigen, CD4, CD8, CD68, S100, PCNA, and Ki-67 expression.
- Avidin-biotin method was applied to formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissues from 98 pterygia, 18 pingueculae, and 20 normal conjunctivae.
Main Results:
- Abundant HLA-DR antigen expression was observed in pterygium epithelial cells, unlike in pinguecula and normal conjunctiva.
- Significant positive correlation found between HLA-DR antigen, Ki-67, and PCNA expression in pterygium (p = 0.002).
- Aberrant infiltration of inflammatory cells (CD4, CD8, CD68, S100) was detected in pterygium, with lower densities in controls.
Conclusions:
- Immunopathological mechanisms, including aberrant HLA-DR expression and inflammatory cell infiltration, likely contribute to pterygium pathogenesis.
- HLA-DR antigen expression correlates with the proliferative activity (growth fraction) of pterygium.
Abstract:
The immunohistochemical expression of HLA-DR antigen, CD8, CD4, CD68, S1OO, PCNA and Ki-67 was performed in order to investigate the role of immune mechanisms in pterygium, in correlation with proliferative activity. A series of 98 surgically-excised pterygia, 18 pingueculae and 20 normal conjunctivae, was studied by the avidin-biotin method, on formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue. HLA-DR antigen was abundantly expressed in pterygium epithelial cells, whereas almost no expression was found in pinguecula and normal conjunctiva. A high value of Ki-67 and PCNA expression coexisted in the same areas with HLA-DR antigen expression in pterygium and a statistically significant positive correlation resulted between them (p = 0.002). Aberrant infiltration of inflammatory cells (CD4, CD8, CD68, S100) was detected in pterygium, while lower densities were found in pinguecula and conjunctiva. The data suggest that immunopathological mechanisms may contribute in the pathogenesis of pterygium. In addition, the aberrant HLA-DR antigen expression seems to be correlated with the growth fraction of the lesion.