Pterygium Tissue Proteins as Identified by Immunhisto-chemistry and In-situ Hybridization

¹Breipohl W., ²Eltohami I., ¹Naib-Majani W., ³Pleyer U., ⁴Augustin A. J., ²Wernert N.,
¹Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn, Institut für Experimentelle Ophthalmologie (Bonn)
²Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn, Abt. für Molekulare Pathologie (Bonn)
³Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Charité Campus Virchow-Klinikum, Augenklinik (Berlin)
⁴Städtisches Klinikum Karlsruhe, Augenklinik (Karlsruhe)

Purpose: To gain more details about the ECM and transmembranous proteins in pterygial tissues.
Method: Indirect immunohistochemistry using a panel of primary antibodies and in situ hybridization.
Results: Antibodies against collagen type I, II, VII gave no positive results with pterygial tissues. Collagen III antibodies reacted positively with pterygial stroma and collagen IV antibodies stained the endothelial basement membranes of pterygium. Antibodies against Fibronectin, heparan sulfate, laminin, and von Willebrand factor reacted strongly positive in pterygial endothelial basement membranes, moreover fibronectin and laminin were detected in the stroma of pterygium. Antibodies against bFGF reacted positively with pterygial epithelium. Antibodies against MMP 8, MMP 9, and MMP 13 reacted strongly positive in the stroma and epithelium of pterygium. Expression of ETS 1, a known transcription factor, was documented by in situ-hybridization and Ets 1 antibodies in vascular endothelial cells during angiogenesis.
Conclusions: The obtained results are in support of pterygial proliferation with high epithelial cellular migration and adhesion capabilities. Also the results documented the occurence of ECM remodelling in pterygium paralleled by angioneogenesis ad Ets 1 expression.

Copyright © Deutsche Ophthalmologische Gesellschaft, 2002. All rights reserved.

Last updated: 

Webdesign: SPALLEK.COM