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Chi H, Wei C, Ma L, Yu Y, Zhang T, Shi W. The ocular immunological alterations in the process of high-risk corneal transplantation rejection. Exp Eye Res 2024; 245:109971. [PMID: 38871165 DOI: 10.1016/j.exer.2024.109971] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2024] [Revised: 04/25/2024] [Accepted: 06/10/2024] [Indexed: 06/15/2024]
Abstract
PURPOSE This study aims to reveal the immunopathogenesis of the high-risk corneal transplantation using a comparative proteomic approach. METHODS The immunological properties of ocular tissues (including corneal grafts, aqueous humour, and iris-ciliary body) were analysed using a high-risk rabbit corneal transplantation model employing a comparative proteomic approach. RESULTS The corneal grafts revealed a dramatic increase in the immune response both at the early (postoperative day 7) and rejection stages, along with the appearance of transplantation stress-induced cellular senescence in the early stage. The aqueous humour (AH) displayed persistent pathological alterations, indicated by the significant enrichment of complement and coagulation cascades pathway in the early stage and interleukin (IL)-17 signalling pathway in the rejection stage. More surprisingly, the pronounced elevation of immune response was also observed in the iris-ciliary body (I-CB) tissues at the early and rejection stages. The enriched immune-related pathways were associated with antigen processing and presentation, complement and coagulation cascades, and IL-17 signalling pathway. Furthermore, proteomic analysis revealed that the implantation of Cyclosporine A drug delivery system (CsA-DDS) into the anterior chamber obviously mitigated corneal transplantation rejection by inhibiting immunoreaction both in the corneal grafts and I-CB tissues. CONCLUSION The results highlighted the involvement of intraocular immunity both in the grafts and I-CB tissues during corneal transplantation rejection, further suggesting the anterior chamber as an optimal drug-delivery site for its treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hao Chi
- State Key Laboratory Cultivation Base, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Eye Institute of Shandong First Medical University, Qingdao, 266071, China; Qingdao Hospital, University of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences (Qingdao Municipal Hospital), Qingdao, 266071, China
| | - Chao Wei
- State Key Laboratory Cultivation Base, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Eye Institute of Shandong First Medical University, Qingdao, 266071, China
| | - Li Ma
- State Key Laboratory Cultivation Base, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Eye Institute of Shandong First Medical University, Qingdao, 266071, China
| | - Yaoyao Yu
- State Key Laboratory Cultivation Base, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Eye Institute of Shandong First Medical University, Qingdao, 266071, China; Qingdao Eye Hospital of Shandong First Medical University, Eye Institute of Shandong First Medical University, Qingdao, 266071, China
| | - Ting Zhang
- State Key Laboratory Cultivation Base, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Eye Institute of Shandong First Medical University, Qingdao, 266071, China; Eye Hospital of Shandong First Medical University (Shandong Eye Hospital), Eye Institute of Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, 250021, China; School of Ophthalmology, Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, 250117, China.
| | - Weiyun Shi
- State Key Laboratory Cultivation Base, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Eye Institute of Shandong First Medical University, Qingdao, 266071, China; Eye Hospital of Shandong First Medical University (Shandong Eye Hospital), Eye Institute of Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, 250021, China; School of Ophthalmology, Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, 250117, China.
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Zhang T, Bai X, Chi H, Liu T, Li S, Wei C, Shi W. The mounted alloimmunity of the iris-ciliary body devotes a hotbed of immune cells for corneal transplantation rejection. Exp Eye Res 2022; 222:109167. [PMID: 35777471 DOI: 10.1016/j.exer.2022.109167] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2021] [Revised: 06/06/2022] [Accepted: 06/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
Graft rejection is still the major obstacle causing corneal transplantation failure. However, the underlying pathogenesis remains largely unclear. The iris-ciliary body (I-C) is enriched with blood vessels and various immune cell populations, presumably predisposed to be involved in corneal transplantation rejection. After penetrating keratoplasty, compared to the normal (Nor) and syngeneic (Syn) groups, I-C tissues in the allogeneic (Allo) group displayed stronger alloimmune responses, with more infiltrations of CD45+ inflammatory cells and CD3+ lymphocytes, increased transcriptional levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines, and elevated NF-κB activity. This histopathology was similar to the pathological alterations of corneal allografts. Angiography analysis revealed the abnormal vasculature in the iris during allograft rejection, characterized by vasodilatation, increased vessel density, and vascular permeability. While, immunofluorescence staining showed the intact tight junction of the posterior iris epithelium. In vitro, human microvascular endothelial cells (HMECs) stimulated by tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) showed an increased Evans blue (EB)-albumin leakage, with lower expression of zonula occludens-1 (ZO-1) and Occludin. The increased EB-albumin leakage, up-regulated NF-κB activity, and reduced expression of ZO-1 and Occludin could be partially reversed after cyclosporine A (CsA) administration. In contrast, the barrier function in primary mouse iris pigment epithelial cells (IPEs) after TNF-α treatment remained largely unchanged. These findings revealed the vigorous alloimmunity in I-C tissues, characterized with impaired vascularization but intact posterior epithelial barrier in the iris, which allowed proteins and immune cells to be exudated from the front surface of I-C tissues, and facilitated immune reaction in the anterior chamber, thereby contributing to aggravated corneal transplantation rejection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ting Zhang
- Eye Hospital of Shandong First Medical University (Shandong Eye Hospital), Eye Institute of Shandong First Medical University, China; State Key Laboratory Cultivation Base, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Eye Institute of Shandong First Medical University, China; School of Ophthalmology, Shandong First Medical University, China
| | - Xiaofei Bai
- State Key Laboratory Cultivation Base, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Eye Institute of Shandong First Medical University, China
| | - Hao Chi
- State Key Laboratory Cultivation Base, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Eye Institute of Shandong First Medical University, China
| | - Ting Liu
- State Key Laboratory Cultivation Base, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Eye Institute of Shandong First Medical University, China
| | - Suxia Li
- Eye Hospital of Shandong First Medical University (Shandong Eye Hospital), Eye Institute of Shandong First Medical University, China; School of Ophthalmology, Shandong First Medical University, China
| | - Chao Wei
- State Key Laboratory Cultivation Base, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Eye Institute of Shandong First Medical University, China.
| | - Weiyun Shi
- Eye Hospital of Shandong First Medical University (Shandong Eye Hospital), Eye Institute of Shandong First Medical University, China; State Key Laboratory Cultivation Base, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Eye Institute of Shandong First Medical University, China; School of Ophthalmology, Shandong First Medical University, China.
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Gao Y, Li C, Li X, Zhang M. Establishment of the New Zealand white rabbit animal model of fatty keratopathy associated with corneal neovascularization. Open Life Sci 2021; 16:1261-1267. [PMID: 34909477 PMCID: PMC8642820 DOI: 10.1515/biol-2021-0111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2021] [Revised: 07/09/2021] [Accepted: 07/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The term fatty keratopathy is used to describe the phenomenon of fat deposition caused by corneal neovascularization, which will severely affect the eye's beauty and vision. The purpose of this study was to establish a New Zealand white rabbit animal model of fatty keratopathy, that is, the establishment of an animal model of fatty keratopathy. The goal was achieved by the combination of a corneal neovascularization animal model and a hyperlipidemia animal model. Two groups were created according to the experimental sequence. The first group initially induced a corneal neovascularization pattern and later induced a hyperlipidemia pattern, and the second group followed the opposite sequence. The results of the two groups showed that all the significant crystalline deposits of the cornea were visible. So the animal models of fatty keratopathy were successfully established in both groups.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yikui Gao
- Ophthalmology Department, The Eighth People’s Hospital of Qingdao, Qingdao 266000, China
| | - Cong Li
- Ophthalmology Department, The Eighth People’s Hospital of Qingdao, Qingdao 266000, China
| | - Xiaoyun Li
- Ophthalmology Department, The Eighth People’s Hospital of Qingdao, Qingdao 266000, China
| | - Minghong Zhang
- Refraction Department, Qingdao Aier Eye Hospital, Qingdao 266400, China
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Bleul T, Zhuang X, Hildebrand A, Lange C, Böhringer D, Schlunck G, Reinhard T, Lapp T. Different Innate Immune Responses in BALB/c and C57BL/6 Strains following Corneal Transplantation. J Innate Immun 2020; 13:49-59. [PMID: 32906119 DOI: 10.1159/000509716] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2020] [Accepted: 06/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE To investigate immunological differences and the role of CD38+/F4/80 + M1 macrophages in C57BL/6J- and BALB/c-recipient mouse corneal transplantation models. METHODS Allogeneic transplantation was performed crosswise in BALB/c mice and C57BL/6J mice; syngeneic transplantation was performed in both strains. Anterior chamber depth (ACD) was measured before and central corneal thickness (CCT) was measured both before and after transplantation. In vivo graft rejection was monitored using anterior eye segment optical coherence tomography (ASOCT) evaluating the CCT and grading of corneal oedema using a well-established clinical score (CS). Histology of corneal grafts was performed 18 or 21 days after surgery. Immunohistochemistry with anti-F4/80 antibody and anti-CD38 antibody was used for detecting M1 macrophages within the grafts. RESULTS High CS and CCT values after allogeneic transplantation persisted in both BALB/c (n = 18) and C57BL/6J recipients (n = 20). After syngeneic transplantation, CS and CCT values increased in both models in the early phase after surgery due to the surgical trauma. Surprisingly, in the syngeneic C57BL/6J model, high CCT values persisted. Furthermore, anterior synechiae developed in C57BL/6 recipients after both syngeneic and allogeneic transplantation, whereas BALB/c recipients showed almost no synechiae - even though C57/BL6J animals tended to have a deeper anterior chamber (281 ± 11 pixels [mean ± SD]) compared with BALB/c animals of the same age (270 ± 9 pixels [mean ± SD]). Immunohistochemistry revealed numerous CD38+/F4/80 + M1 macrophages in grafts of C57BL/6J recipients following both syngeneic and allogeneic transplantation. However, in BALB/c-recipient mice only sparse M1 macrophages were detectable (CD38 + M1 macrophages relative to all F4/80 + cells: 75 vs. 17% [after allogeneic transplantation] and 66 vs. 17% [after syngeneic transplantation]; p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS Allogeneic corneal transplants are rejected in BALB/c as well as C57BL/6J mice, but tissue alterations with anterior synechiae are more pronounced in C57BL/6J recipients. Following syngeneic transplantation, C57BL/6J-recipient animals show a persistent graft swelling with increased numbers of CD38+/F4/80 + M1 macrophages in grafted tissue, in contrast to the common model using BALB/c-recipient mice. Our data strongly suggest that strain-dependent differences convey different innate immune responses in BALB/c and C57BL/6J strains. Accordingly, in murine keratoplasty experiments, the mouse line of both donor and recipient animals must be carefully considered. C57BL/6J-recipient mice might be particularly suited to study corneal graft rejection in a clinical setting considered "high risk."
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Affiliation(s)
- Tim Bleul
- Eye Center, Medical Center, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany
| | - Xinyu Zhuang
- Eye Center, Medical Center, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany
| | - Antonia Hildebrand
- Eye Center, Medical Center, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany
| | - Clemens Lange
- Eye Center, Medical Center, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany
| | - Daniel Böhringer
- Eye Center, Medical Center, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany
| | - Günther Schlunck
- Eye Center, Medical Center, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany
| | - Thomas Reinhard
- Eye Center, Medical Center, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany
| | - Thabo Lapp
- Eye Center, Medical Center, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany,
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