Metz D P, Bacon A S, Holgate S, Lightman S L
Yale University, Section of Immunobiology, New Haven, Conn., USA.
J Allergy Clin Immunol. 1996 Sep;98(3):686-96. doi: 10.1016/s0091-6749(96)70103-3.
Chronic allergic conjunctivitis comprises a spectrum of diseases including atopic keratoconjunctivitis, atopic blepharoconjunctivitis, vernal keratoconjunctivitis, and contact lens-associated giant pupillary conjunctivitis. Each condition is characterized by a complex immunopathology with a mixed cellular infiltrate. Treatment with conventional mast cell stabilizers is often unsatisfactory, and therapy depends heavily on topical corticosteroids.
Recent evidence suggests that T lymphocytes play an important role in mediating the immunopathology seen in the chronic allergic response in the skin and the lungs.
We have therefore investigated the prevalence of T cells and their subsets in the different chronic allergic eye conditions by means of immunohistochemistry.
We found significantly increased numbers of CD4+, CD45RO+, and HLA-DR+ T cells in the conjunctiva of patients with atopic and vernal keratoconjunctivitis and giant papillary conjunctivitis, with a corresponding upregulation of markers present on antigen presenting cells.
These findings suggest that like allergic conditions in the skin and lungs, CD4+ memory T cells are involved in the regulation of the immunopathology of chronic allergic eye responses. Further characterization of these T cells will provide the information necessary for future immunotherapeutic interventions.
慢性过敏性结膜炎包括一系列疾病，如特应性角结膜炎、特应性睑结膜炎、春季角结膜炎和与隐形眼镜相关的巨乳头性结膜炎。每种病症的特征是具有混合细胞浸润的复杂免疫病理学。使用传统肥大细胞稳定剂进行治疗往往效果不佳，治疗严重依赖局部使用皮质类固醇。
最近的证据表明，T淋巴细胞在介导皮肤和肺部慢性过敏反应中所见的免疫病理学方面发挥重要作用。
因此，我们通过免疫组织化学研究了不同慢性过敏性眼部疾病中T细胞及其亚群的患病率。
我们发现，特应性和春季角结膜炎以及巨乳头性结膜炎患者结膜中的CD4 +、CD45RO +和HLA-DR + T细胞数量显著增加，抗原呈递细胞上的标志物相应上调。
这些发现表明，与皮肤和肺部的过敏病症一样，CD4 +记忆T细胞参与慢性过敏性眼部反应免疫病理学的调节。对这些T细胞的进一步表征将为未来的免疫治疗干预提供必要信息。
