Lysosomal enzyme activities in conjunctival tissues of patients with keratoconus
T. Fukuchi, B. Y. Yue, J. Sugar and S. Lam
Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago.
OBJECTIVE: To examine the lysosomal enzyme activities in the conjunctival
tissues of patients with keratoconus. METHODS: Tissues collected from 11
patients with keratoconus, eight patients with senile cataract, three
patients with Fuchs' corneal dystrophy, and 11 normal control subjects were
processed for histochemical staining for two lysosomal hydrolases, acid
esterase and acid phosphatase. RESULTS: The epithelium of all conjunctival
specimens stained positively for the two enzymes. The staining in the
conjunctival tissues of patients with keratoconus was more prominent than
that seen in specimens from either normal control subjects or patients with
other diseases. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that the conjunctival
epithelium may be altered in keratoconus. Elevation of lysosomal enzyme
levels has been demonstrated in the epithelium of corneas with keratoconus,
implicating a role of this layer in the disease. The conjunctival
abnormality seems to corroborate the corneal epithelial theory. It also
adds one dimension to the pathogenesis of keratoconus.
