Increaed expreion of the type 1 growth factor receptor family in the conjunctival epithelium of patient with keratoconjunctiviti icca

PURPOE: To invetigate the expreion of type 1 growth factor receptor (epidermal growth factor receptor, ErbB2, and ErbB3) in the conjunctival epithelium of patient with keratoconjunctiviti icca. METHOD: Immunofluorecent taining and Wetern blotting were performed to grade the level of expreion of the epidermal growth factor receptor ErbB2, and ErbB3 in conjunctival epithelial impreion cytologie taken from both eye of even normal ubject and 22 patient with keratoconjunctiviti icca. REULT: Epidermal growth factor receptor taining wa oberved in a greater percentage of keratoconjunctiviti icca than normal ample (P< .05). ErbB2 and ErB3 taining in the apical conjunctival epithelium wa oberved in both group, but tronger ErbB2 and ErbB3 taining wa noted in keratoconjunctiviti icca conjunctival ample (P< .05). The relative level of expreion of thee receptor protein on immunoblot were conitent with immunofluorecent taining. On immunoblot, epidermal growth factor receptor protein wa detected in 50% of keratoconjunctiviti icca ample, but none of the normal ample (P< .025). The expreion of ErbB2 and ErbB3 on immunoblot wa alo greater in the keratoconjunctiviti icca ample (P< .05). Immunofluorecent taining core for thee receptor were correlated with conjunctival liamine green taining core (r = .574, P< .01 for epidermal growth factor receptor; r = .620, P< .0025 for ErbB2; r = .502, P< .025 for ErbB3) and with corneal fluorecein taining (r = .409, P< .05 for ErbB2; r = .588, P< .005 for ErbB3). CONCLUION: The expreion of the type 1 growth factor receptor i ignificantly greater in the conjunctival epithelium of eye with keratoconjunctiviti icca than normal eye. The increaed expreion of thee receptor wa poitively correlated with ocular urface dye taining. The increaed expreion of thee receptor may contribute to the abnormal growth and differentiation of the conjunctival epithelium that occur in keratoconjunctiviti icca.