Fukuda Ken, Kumagai Naoki, Fujitsu Youichiro, Nishida Teruo
Department of Ophthalmology, Yamaguchi University Graduate School of Medicine, Ube City, Japan.
Nippon Ganka Gakkai Zasshi. 2007 Sep;111(9):699-710.
Vernal keratoconjunctivitis (VKC), a chronic and severe form of ocular allergic disease, is characterized by tissue remodeling such as the formation of giant papillae at the upper tarsal conjunctiva and the development of corneal plaques. Giant papillae develop as a result of infiltration of inflammatory cells, changes in the epithelial layer, increased deposition of extracellular matrix molecules, proliferation of conjunctival fibroblasts, and an increase in the number of blood vessels. Corneal plaques form subsequent to corneal epithelial defects, and their surface remains uncovered by the corneal epithelium; consequensly, corneal epithelial cells are not able to attach to or migrate over the plaques. These remodeling lesions not only affect tissue structure but also contribute to amplification of allergic inflammation in the conjunctiva and cornea. Recent evidence from in vitro studies indicates that activated fibroblasts play a central role in the induction and amplification of ocular allergic inflammation and the consequent development of giant papillae and corneal disorders in individuals with VKC. Tissue remodeling thus represents a potential therapeutic target for treatment of VKC.
春季角结膜炎（VKC）是一种慢性、严重的眼部过敏性疾病，其特征在于组织重塑，例如在上睑结膜形成巨大乳头以及角膜斑块的形成。巨大乳头的形成是炎症细胞浸润、上皮层变化、细胞外基质分子沉积增加、结膜成纤维细胞增殖以及血管数量增加的结果。角膜斑块在角膜上皮缺损后形成，其表面未被角膜上皮覆盖；因此，角膜上皮细胞无法附着于斑块或在其上迁移。这些重塑病变不仅影响组织结构，还会导致结膜和角膜过敏性炎症的加剧。最近的体外研究证据表明，活化的成纤维细胞在眼部过敏性炎症的诱导和加剧以及VKC患者随后出现的巨大乳头和角膜病变中起核心作用。因此，组织重塑是治疗VKC的一个潜在治疗靶点。
