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Abha Gulati, MD; Marta Sacchetti, MD; Stefano Bonini, MD; Reza Dana, MD, MPH

Arch Ophthalmol. 2006;124:710-716.

Objective  To characterize chemokine receptor CCR5 expression on the conjunctival epithelium in dry eye syndromes.

Methods  Conjunctival impression cytology samples were obtained from normal subjects (n = 15) and patients with dry eye syndrome (n = 45). Cells were harvested from impression cytology samples, and flow cytometry was performed to quantitatively analyze the cell surface expression of chemokine receptor CCR5. Characterization of CCR5-positive cells was done by 2-color flow cytometry using fluorescein-conjugated anti-CCR5 and phycoerythrin-conjugated anti-CD45 antibodies (where CD45 is a marker for bone marrow–derived cells). To study CCR5 messenger RNA transcripts, real-time polymerase chain reaction was done on RNA isolated from the impression cytology samples of normal subjects (n = 5) and patients with dry eye syndrome (n = 14).

Results  We found significant up-regulation in cell surface expression of CCR5 in patients with both aqueous tear–deficient and evaporative forms of dry eye syndrome (P<.001). The real-time polymerase chain reaction results (for messenger RNA) corroborated the flow cytometry data (for protein). The majority of the cells expressing CCR5 were non–bone marrow–derived resident epithelial cells of the conjunctiva.

Conclusion  Our findings suggest that CCR5 up-regulation is significantly associated with dry eye syndrome–associated ocular surface disease.

Clinical Relevance  Chemokine receptor CCR5 or its ligands may serve as useful targets for modulation of tissue immunoinflammatory responses in dry eye syndromes.

Author Affiliations: Schepens Eye Research Institute, Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, and Department of Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Mass (Drs Gulati and Dana); and Department of Ophthalmology, Campus Bio-medico, University of Rome, Rome, Italy (Drs Sacchetti and Bonini).

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