Interactions Between Trabecular Meshwork Cells and Lens Epithelial Cells ; A Possible Mechanism in Infantile Aphakic Glaucoma
Inbal Michael 1,
Michael Shmoish 2,
David S Walton 3,
and
Shulamit Levenberg 4*
1 Biomedical Engineering Faculty, Technion-Israel institute of technology, Haifa, Israel
2 Bioinformatics Knowledge Unit, Technion-Israel institute of technology, Haifa, Israel
3 Glaucoma Service, Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary,, Boston, Massachusetts, United States; Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States
4 Biomedical Engineering Faculty, Technion-Israel institute of technology, Silver Bld. room 265, Haifa, 32000, Israel
* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: shulamit{at}bm.technion.ac.il.
 |
Abstract |
|---|
PURPOSE: Infantile aphakic glaucoma may develop as a postoperative complication of early childhood cataract surgery. It has been associated with risk factors including surgery in early life and retained lens material; however, its cause and mechanism to date are poorly understood. This study focused on the potential role of retained lens material (specifically, exposed lens epithelial cells (LECs)) to be responsible for undesired changes of the trabecular meshwork (TM) structure and function.
METHODS: Interactions between LECs and TM cells were studied by analyzing
structural changes and differential gene and protein expression in TM cells co-cultured with LECs.
RESULTS: Subjecting normal TM cells to the presence of LECs resulted in changes in their structural features (such as increase in volume and size, and decrease in cell-cell interactions), as well as in their protein expression (mainly cytoskeletal) and gene expression (such as genes related to organ and cell morphogenesis, inflammatory response, response to stimulus, ion homeostasis, and several signaling pathways).
CONCLUSIONS: Many of the changes observed in TM cells following exposure to
LECs resemble alternations seen in primary open-angle glaucoma. This strengthens the suspected role of LECs in the development of aphakic glaucoma.
Key Words:
cataract surgery, glaucoma, trabecular meshwork, lens epithelium, co culture
