Variation in the Expression of Inflammatory Markers and Neuroreceptors in Human Conjunctival Epithelial Cells

Hyperosmolar Stress Upregulates HLA-DR Expression in Human Conjunctival Epithelium in Dry Eye Patients and In Vitro Models

“…Nevertheless, HLA-DR overexpression does appear to be involved in the immune response in human conjunctival epithelium from dry eye patients, as previously demonstrated, a fact which could one day prompt innovative tests for the condition and perhaps even novel therapeutic strategies. 7,34,35 In our study, HLA-DR was detected in conjunctival epithelial cells sampled in the bulbar area of DE patients, who were observed after an 8-day washout period to minimize the role of any pharmaceuticals in the surface antigen assay. The method of detection we used was impression cytology, a technique that provides a suitable number of pure populations of conjunctival cells.…”

Seasonal and perennial allergic conjunctivitis: the possible role of nasal allergy

“…Nasal allergy could cohere with conjunctivitis in various ways. An allergic reaction occurring initially in the nasal mucosa may affect the conjunctiva in different ways upon involving diverse mechanisms: (i) this reaction leads to release of mediators, cytokines and other factors, which can then penetrate to the conjunctiva through the nasolacrimal duct; 5,6,11,48,49 (ii) the released factors can also be transported to the conjunctiva by the local haematogenic ways ( a. maxillaris‐ pars pterygopalatina , v. facialis , plexus pterygoideus ); 6,24,33 (iii) allergic reactions in the nasal mucosa can stimulate the local neurogenic network and released neuropeptides may reach conjunctiva along and/or through the appropriate nerves ( n. trigemini , n. nasociliaris , pterygopalatine ganglion); 24,45,50–52 and (iv) this reaction and released factors can stimulate the local nasal mucosal lymphatic system, ‘nose‐associated lymphatic tissue’ (NALT), which is able to communicate with the lymphatic tissue of the lacrimal system, ‘tear duct‐associated lymphatic tissue’ (TALT), ‘lacrimal drainage‐associated lymphoid tissue’ (LDALT), ‘eye‐associated lymphatic tissue’ (EALT) and that of the conjunctiva, called ‘conjunctiva‐associated lymphatic tissue’ (CALT) 24,45,48,49,53–56 . In this way not only transmission of certain signals but also cellular traffic of various cell types, for example, T lymphocytes (Th 1 and Th 2 ) and B cells (plasma cells), can also be realized 1,8,11,13,15,17,22,24,32–34,43,44,46,47 .…”

Allergic Conjunctivitis and Nasal Allergy

“…The factors released by the nasal allergic reaction may stimulate the local nasal mucosal lymphatic system ("nose-associated lymphatic tissue"), belonging to the general "mucosa-associated lymphatic system." This expresses manifold mutual communication with the lymphatic network both of the lacrimal system, such as "tear duct-associated lymphatic tissue" and "lacrimal drainage-associated lymphoid tissue," and of the conjunctiva ("conjunctiva-associated lymphatic tissue" and "eye-associated lymphatic tissue") [28,38,[42][43][44][45][46][47][48].…”