Leonardi A, Brun P, Di Stefano A, Motterle L, Abatangelo G
Ophthalmology Unit, Department of Neuroscience, University of Padua, Italy.
Clin Exp Allergy. 2007 Jun;37(6):872-9. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2222.2007.02732.x.
Allergic conditions in different organs share many similarities in their inflammatory response. Vernal keratoconjunctivitis (VKC), asthma and nasal polyps exhibit several similar, but site-specific mucosal structural changes. The aim of the study was to investigate whether matrix metalloproteases contribute to different tissue remodelling aspects in different organs.
Mucosal biopsies were obtained from conjunctiva of healthy donors, tarsal conjunctiva of vernal patients, bronchi of non-asthmatic subjects, bronchi of mild stable asthmatic patients, nasal mucosa of non-allergic donors and nasal polyps of allergic patients. Distribution of metalloprotease-1, -3, -9, -13, tissue inhibitor of metalloproteases-1, collagens I and III and the presence of eosinophils and CD4+ cells were evaluated by immunohistochemistry.
Collagens were highly diffuse in the giant papillae of VKC and in nasal polyps, and yet less increased in the subepithelium of asthmatic patients. Immunostaining for metalloprotease-1, -3, -9 and -13 was significantly higher in VKC compared with normal conjunctiva. Metalloprotease-9 staining was higher in the stroma of polyps vs. normal nasal mucosa, and only metalloprotease-13 was significantly more expressed in asthmatic vs. non-asthmatic subjects. Metalloprotease-9 immunostaining was more intense in vernal compared with other tissues. In all pathological tissues, metalloprotease-9-positive staining was in association with eosinophils and CD4+ cells.
Expression of metalloproteases may play an important role in inducing the structural changes seen in VKC, nasal polyps and asthma. Tissue remodelling and gelatinase immunoexpression was more dramatic in giant papillae of vernal patients compared with other tissue sites of chronic allergic inflammation.
不同器官的过敏性疾病在炎症反应方面有许多相似之处。春季角结膜炎（VKC）、哮喘和鼻息肉表现出一些相似但部位特异性的黏膜结构变化。本研究的目的是调查基质金属蛋白酶是否在不同器官的不同组织重塑方面发挥作用。
从健康供体的结膜、春季患者的睑结膜、非哮喘受试者的支气管、轻度稳定哮喘患者的支气管、非过敏性供体的鼻黏膜以及过敏性患者的鼻息肉获取黏膜活检组织。通过免疫组织化学评估金属蛋白酶-1、-3、-9、-13、金属蛋白酶组织抑制剂-1、I型和III型胶原蛋白的分布以及嗜酸性粒细胞和CD4+细胞的存在情况。
胶原蛋白在VKC的巨大乳头和鼻息肉中高度弥漫，但在哮喘患者的上皮下增加较少。与正常结膜相比，VKC中金属蛋白酶-1、-3、-9和-13的免疫染色显著更高。息肉基质中的金属蛋白酶-9染色高于正常鼻黏膜，并且仅金属蛋白酶-13在哮喘患者与非哮喘受试者中表达明显更多。与其他组织相比，春季时金属蛋白酶-9免疫染色更强烈。在所有病理组织中，金属蛋白酶-9阳性染色与嗜酸性粒细胞和CD4+细胞相关。
金属蛋白酶的表达可能在诱导VKC、鼻息肉和哮喘中所见的结构变化中起重要作用。与慢性过敏性炎症的其他组织部位相比，春季患者巨大乳头中的组织重塑和明胶酶免疫表达更为显著。
