Immunohistochemistry of Terrien's and Mooren's corneal degeneration
J. S. Lopez, F. W. Price Jr, S. M. Whitcup, Q. Li, M. de Smet and C. C. Chan
Laboratory of Immunology, National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Md 20892.
Lamellar keratoplasty specimens from a patient with Terrien's marginal
degeneration and a patient with Mooren's ulcer were compared using routine
histopathologic and immunohistochemical staining with an
avidin-biotin-peroxidase complex. Less than 25% of the resident cells in
the Terrien's marginal degeneration specimen expressed major
histocompatibility class II antigens compared with 75% to 100% of the
resident cells in the Mooren's ulcer specimen. The ratio of CD4 cells
(T-helper/inducer) to CD8 cells (T-suppressor/cytotoxic cells) in the
Terrien's marginal degeneration specimen was almost 1:1 compared with 24:1
in the Mooren's ulcer specimen. In addition, less than 5% of the
infiltrating cells from the Terrien's marginal degeneration specimen
stained positive for CD22 (B cells), compared with 25% to 50% from the
Mooren's ulcer specimen. These data may help explain why Terrien's marginal
degeneration runs a more benign course than does Mooren's ulcer and
provides a rationale for the use of immunosuppressive drugs to treat
Mooren's ulcer.
