Distribution of Adhesion Molecules in Rabiit Cornea with Aspergillus fumigatus Keratitis

ABSTRACT

In order to help define the possible role of adhesion molecules in corneal inflammation, we investigated the distribution of adhesion molecules in normal and Aspergillus fumigatus keratitis-induced corneas of rabbits in process if time. Each 4 corneas were resected at 3, 12, 24, and 72 hours after intracorneal injection with A. fumigatus. Normal corneas (4 eyes) were used as a control. Monoclonal antibodies to beta 1 subunit of VLAs, alpha 1 subunit of VLA-1, LFA-1, ICAM-1,and ELAM-1 were used for immunohistochemical staining of 20 corneas.The results were as follows In normal cornea, beta 1 subunit of VLAs was expressed on all parts of the cornea, and ICAM-1 was expressed on corneal stroma and endothelium. Vascular endothelium showed expression of beta 1 subunit of VLAs and ICAM-1 after 12 hours of intracorneal injection, and alpha1 subunit of VLA-1 and ELAM-1 at 72 hours after injection. In inflamed cornea, beta 1 subunit of VLAs was expressed strongly at 72 hours after injection. Alpha1 subunit of VLA-1 was detected on corneal stroma after 12 hours of injection, and on corneal endothelium at 72hours after injection. Expression of beta 2 subunit of LFA-1 was weak on corneal stroma after 3 hours injection, and on corneal endothelium at 72 hours after injection. ICAM-1 expression was detected weakly on corneal epithelium, and increased on corneal stroma and endothelium at 72 hours after injection. ELAM-1 was expressed weakly on corneal stroma after 3 hours of injection, and on corneal endothelium at 72 hours after injection.In this study, it was found that the invasion of A. fumigatusinto the cornea causes localized inflammatory reaction that results in activation of corneal cells (keratocytes, corneal endothelial cells and epithelial cells), and subsequent expression of adhesion molecules in the cornea. Expression of adhesion molecules facilitates the inflammatory cells to be migrated into the cornea with inflammmation.