Transcription Profiling of NOD-like Receptors in the Human Cornea with Disease

ABSTRACT

Purpose: To investigate the expression of nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-like receptors (NLRs) in human corneas with disease and corneal cells.

Methods: The expression of NOD1, NOD2, NLRP1, and NLRP3 was analyzed using real-time RT-PCR in (1) corneas with active infection, history of herpetic stromal keratitis (HSK), chronic allograft rejection, and limbal stem cell deficiency (LSCD), and (2) human corneal cells after lipopolysaccharide (LPS) stimulation. Healthy corneas and cells without LPS served as controls.

Results: The mRNA levels of NOD2 and NLRP3 were increased in corneas with infection and HSK. Conversely, the levels of NOD1, NOD2, NLRP1, and NLRP3 transcripts were decreased in corneas with LSCD. In corneas with rejection, the expression of NOD1 and NLRP1 was downregulated. Corneal endothelial cells upregulated the expression of NOD2 and NLRP3 upon LPS.

Conclusions: The changes in the NLR expression may reflect different susceptibility to infectious and non-infectious injuries in corneas with various diseases.

Keywords:

• Cornea
• human
• lipopolysaccharide
• NLRs
• nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain (NOD)-like receptors

DECLARATION OF INTEREST

The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.

FUNDING

This work was supported by a grant of the Korean Health Technology R&D Project, Ministry of Health & Welfare, Republic of Korea (HI14C2257), and the SNUH Research Fund (04–2012-0360).

SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIAL

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Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by a grant of the Korean Health Technology R&D Project, Ministry of Health & Welfare, Republic of Korea (HI14C2257), and the SNUH Research Fund (04–2012–0360).