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Abstract
The effect of interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) on the expression of transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β) receptors on cultured human corneal stromal fibroblasts was examined. Scatchard analysis of specific saturable TGF-β1 binding data indicated that corneal fibroblasts expressed TGF-β receptors with an average association constant of 6 × 10 M−1, before and after IFN-γ treatment. An additional population of higher affinity TGF-β receptors, with an average association constant of 4 × 1012 M−1, was demonstrated only on IFN-γ-treated corneal fibroblasts. Interferon-gamma may alter the response of corneal fibroblasts to transforming growth factor-betas by upregulating their higher affinity TGF-γ receptors. The induction of higher affinity TGF-β receptors by an immune cytokine and an associated autocrine elevation of TGF-β output by the corneal fibroblasts may be a transient compensatory mechanism that maintains the homeostasis of corneal optical competency through enhancement of corneal immunoseclusion.