TY - JOUR
T1 - Increased dendritic cell density and altered morphology in allergic conjunctivitis
AU - Tajbakhsh, Zahra
AU - Golebiowski, Blanka
AU - Stapleton, Fiona
AU - Alghamdi, Ali
AU - Gray, Paul E.
AU - Altavilla, Betina
AU - Briggs, Nancy
AU - Jalbert, Isabelle
N1 - Funding Information:
This research did not receive specific funding from agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors. The first author received a fee remission scholarship from UNSW Sydney and the Australian Government Research Training Program Scholarship. This study was also supported by the University of New South Wales (UNSW) and the Faculty of Science Research Infrastructure Scheme. The funding sources have no involvement in the study design, conduct of the research, collection, analysis and interpretation of data, writing of the report, preparation of the article or in the decision to submit the article for publication.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2023, The Author(s).
PY - 2023/10
Y1 - 2023/10
N2 - Background: Corneal and conjunctival epithelial dendritic cells (DC) have an established role in vernal keratoconjunctivitis, however, their role in more prevalent forms of allergic eye disease remains unclear. This study evaluated corneal and conjunctival epithelial DC density, morphology, and distribution observed using in vivo confocal microscopy (IVCM) in allergic conjunctivitis. Methods: In this prospective, observational study, 66 participants (mean age 36.6 ± 12.0 years, 56% female): 33 with allergic conjunctivitis and 33 controls were recruited. IVCM was performed at the corneal centre, inferior whorl, corneal periphery, corneal limbus, and temporal bulbar conjunctiva. DC were counted and their morphology was assessed as follows: largest cell body size, presence of dendrites, and presence of long and thick dendrites. Mixed model analysis (DC density) and non-parametric tests (DC morphology) were used. Results: DC density was higher in allergic participants at all locations (p ≤ 0.01), (corneal centre median (IQR) 21.9 (8.7–50.9) cells/mm2 vs 13.1 (2.8–22.8) cells/mm2; periphery 37.5 (15.6-67.2) cells/mm2 vs 20 (9.4–32.5) cells/mm2; limbus 75 (60-120) cells/mm2 vs 58.1 (44.4–66.2) cells/mm2; conjunctiva 10 (0–54.4) cells/mm2 vs 0.6 (0–5.6) cells/mm2, but not at the inferior whorl 21.9 (6.2–34.4) cells/mm2 vs 12.5 (1.9–37.5) cells/mm2, p = 0.20. At the corneal centre, allergic participants had larger DC bodies (p = 0.02), a higher proportion of DC with dendrites (p = 0.02) and long dendrites (p = 0.003) compared to controls. Conclusions: Corneal and conjunctival DC density was increased, and morphology altered in allergic conjunctivitis. These findings imply that the ocular surface immune response was upregulated and support an increased antigen-capture capacity of DC in allergic conjunctivitis.
AB - Background: Corneal and conjunctival epithelial dendritic cells (DC) have an established role in vernal keratoconjunctivitis, however, their role in more prevalent forms of allergic eye disease remains unclear. This study evaluated corneal and conjunctival epithelial DC density, morphology, and distribution observed using in vivo confocal microscopy (IVCM) in allergic conjunctivitis. Methods: In this prospective, observational study, 66 participants (mean age 36.6 ± 12.0 years, 56% female): 33 with allergic conjunctivitis and 33 controls were recruited. IVCM was performed at the corneal centre, inferior whorl, corneal periphery, corneal limbus, and temporal bulbar conjunctiva. DC were counted and their morphology was assessed as follows: largest cell body size, presence of dendrites, and presence of long and thick dendrites. Mixed model analysis (DC density) and non-parametric tests (DC morphology) were used. Results: DC density was higher in allergic participants at all locations (p ≤ 0.01), (corneal centre median (IQR) 21.9 (8.7–50.9) cells/mm2 vs 13.1 (2.8–22.8) cells/mm2; periphery 37.5 (15.6-67.2) cells/mm2 vs 20 (9.4–32.5) cells/mm2; limbus 75 (60-120) cells/mm2 vs 58.1 (44.4–66.2) cells/mm2; conjunctiva 10 (0–54.4) cells/mm2 vs 0.6 (0–5.6) cells/mm2, but not at the inferior whorl 21.9 (6.2–34.4) cells/mm2 vs 12.5 (1.9–37.5) cells/mm2, p = 0.20. At the corneal centre, allergic participants had larger DC bodies (p = 0.02), a higher proportion of DC with dendrites (p = 0.02) and long dendrites (p = 0.003) compared to controls. Conclusions: Corneal and conjunctival DC density was increased, and morphology altered in allergic conjunctivitis. These findings imply that the ocular surface immune response was upregulated and support an increased antigen-capture capacity of DC in allergic conjunctivitis.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85147510377&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1038/s41433-023-02426-x
DO - 10.1038/s41433-023-02426-x
M3 - Article
C2 - 36747109
AN - SCOPUS:85147510377
SN - 0950-222X
VL - 37
SP - 2896
EP - 2904
JO - Eye (Basingstoke)
JF - Eye (Basingstoke)
IS - 14
ER -