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Published on: August 9, 2016
Limbal conjunctival Langerhans cell density in ocular cicatricial pemphigoid: an indirect immunofluorescence study on
Insights
Ocular cicatricial pemphigoid patients have significantly higher limbal conjunctival Langerhans cell density than normal controls. This finding aids in understanding ocular surface inflammatory diseases.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Immunology
- Cell Biology
Background:
- Langerhans cells are crucial for T-cell activation.
- They play a role in corneal and conjunctival inflammatory conditions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To quantify limbal conjunctival Langerhans cell density in ocular cicatricial pemphigoid (OCP) patients.
- To compare OCP patients with healthy individuals.
Main Methods:
- Inferior limbal conjunctival biopsies were obtained from 30 controls and 11 OCP patients.
- Epithelial sheets were separated using Dispase II.
- Indirect immunofluorescence identified CD1a+ Langerhans cells.
Main Results:
- The technique proved rapid and reproducible.
- Mean Langerhans cell density in normal conjunctiva was 272 ± 37 cells/mm².
- OCP patients exhibited significantly higher density (386 ± 43 cells/mm², p=0.001).
Conclusions:
- Indirect immunofluorescence with Dispase II is effective for evaluating conjunctival Langerhans cell density.
- Elevated Langerhans cells may indicate a role in OCP pathogenesis.
Purpose:
To evaluate limbal conjunctival Langerhans cell density in ocular cicatricial pemphigoid patients versus normal controls. Langerhans cells obviously play a major role in T-cell activation and are involved in corneal and conjunctival inflammatory diseases.
Methods:
We used a protease (Dispase II) on inferior limbal conjunctival biopsies to separate the epithelium from the substantia propria and performed indirect immunofluorescence to analyze CD1a+ (a specific Langerhans cell surface antigen) cell density on flat-mounted epithelial sheets obtained from 30 normal controls and 11 patients presenting with ocular cicatricial pemphigoid.
Results:
This technique was quick and reproducible. The mean Langerhans cell density in normal limbal conjunctiva was 272 +/- 37 cells/mm2. It was significantly higher in ocular cicatricial pemphigoid patients: 386 +/- 43 cells/mm2 (p = 0.001).
Conclusions:
Conjunctival Langerhans cell density in ocular surface inflammatory diseases can best be evaluated by indirect immunofluorescence, following epithelial sheet separation from the substantia propria, using Dispase II.
