表皮生长因子受体家族在翼状胬肉上皮内的异常表达

The abnormal expression of epidermal growth factor receptor family in pterygium

目的 了解表皮生长因子受体 (epidermalgrowthfactorreceptor,EGFR)家族的EGFR、ErbB2及ErbB3蛋白在翼状胬肉上皮内的表达。方法 用免疫荧光组织化学及Westernblot方法对 15例初发期翼状胬肉患者切除的翼状胬肉组织进行EGFR、ErbB2及ErbB3蛋白的检测 ,并与正常人结膜组织进行对照。结果 免疫荧光组织化学染色显示 ,在正常结膜上皮中 ,EGFR蛋白可表达于基底层细胞表面 ,而ErbB2及ErbB3蛋白则表达于表层细胞。 15例翼状胬肉患者中 ,11例翼状胬肉上皮的EGFR、ErbB2及ErbB3蛋白均表达于翼状胬肉上皮的全层 ,4例表达方式与正常结膜相似。Westernblot检测显示 ,11例翼状胬肉上皮EGFR、ErbB2及ErbB3蛋白带较正常结膜密度高。结论 翼状胬肉组织上皮EGFR、ErbB2及ErbB3蛋白表达增加 ,提示翼状胬肉可能是一组织增生性疾病 ,翼状胬肉上皮EGFR、ErbB2及ErbB3蛋白的异常表达及其与上皮下组织相互作用可能是翼状胬肉发病的重要原因之一。

Objective To evaluate the expression of type 1 growth factor receptor family [epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), ErbB2 and ErbB3] by the epithelium in pterygium so as to understand the pathogenesis of this disorder Methods The immunofluorescent staining and Western blotting were performed in 15 patients with primary pterygium, compared to normal conjunctival epithelium, to determine the expression of EGFR, ErbB2 and ErbB3 proteins Results The EGFR was present at the basal cells while the ErbB2 and ErbB3 were expressed by the superficial cells in normal conjunctival epithelium in immunofluorescent staining Of 15 pterygia, 11 pterygia expressed the stains of EGFR, ErbB2 and ErbB3 in the full thickness of epithelium and with stronger staining compared to the control group, 4 of them showed the same staining pattern as that in the normal conjunctiva Compared to normal conjunctiva, the stronger density of protein bands of EGFR, ErbB2 and ErbB3 was also demonstrated by western blotting in 11 pterygia with strong staining of these antibodies Conclusions The expression of EGFR, ErbB2 and ErbB3 is increased in pterygium, showing that the pterygium is a disorder with proliferation The abnormal expression of EGFR, ErbB2 and ErbB3 by epithelium and their communicating with cytokines at stroma in pterygium may be one of the key pathogenetic factors in this disorder