Eye Institute, Eye & ENT Hospital, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
Key Laboratory of Myopia and Related Eye Diseases, NHC, Shanghai, China.
Clin Exp Pharmacol Physiol. 2024 Oct;51(10):e13921. doi: 10.1111/1440-1681.13921.
Fuchs endothelial corneal dystrophy (FECD) is a leading cause of corneal endothelial degeneration resulting in impaired visual acuity. Excessive deposition of extracellular matrix (guttae) on Descemet's membrane (DM) is the hallmark of FECD. We sought to detect the guttae area rapidly using aniline blue (AB) staining in FECD mouse model. FECD mouse model was established via ultraviolet A (UVA) exposure. Masson's trichrome staining was utilized to stain the corneal sections. AB staining was utilized to stain both whole cornea tissues and stripped Descemet's membrane-endothelium complex (DMEC) flat mounts, while immunofluorescence staining of collagen I was employed to stain guttae areas. In Masson's trichrome staining, corneal collagen fibrils were stained blue with AB. The DMEC flat mounts were stained into relative dark blue areas and relative light blue areas using 2% AB staining. The areas of dark blue could almost overlap with collagen I-positive areas, and have an acellular centre and a moderately distinct boundary line with the surrounding corneal endothelial cells. In conclusion, AB staining is a rapid and effective method for the evaluation of the guttae areas in the FECD mouse model.
Fuchs 内皮角膜营养不良（FECD）是导致角膜内皮变性从而损害视力的主要原因。细胞外基质（guttae）在 Descemet 膜（DM）上的过度沉积是 FECD 的标志。我们试图通过在 FECD 小鼠模型中使用吖啶蓝（AB）染色快速检测 guttae 区域。通过紫外线 A（UVA）暴露建立 FECD 小鼠模型。使用 Masson 三色染色法对角膜切片进行染色。AB 染色用于染色整个角膜组织和剥离的 Descemet 膜-内皮复合物（DMEC）平面安装件，而胶原 I 的免疫荧光染色用于染色 guttae 区域。在 Masson 三色染色中，角膜胶原纤维用 AB 染成蓝色。用 2%AB 染色，DMEC 平面安装件被染成相对深蓝色区域和相对浅蓝色区域。深蓝色区域几乎可以与胶原 I 阳性区域重叠，并且与周围角膜内皮细胞具有无细胞中心和适度分明的边界线。总之，AB 染色是评估 FECD 小鼠模型中 guttae 区域的快速有效方法。
