Extracellular matrix and integrin expression profiles in Fuchs endothelial corneal dystrophy cells and tissue model

Primary corneal endothelial cell cultures and 3D engineered tissue models were used to study the aberrant deposition of extracellular matrix (ECM) in a vision impairing pathology known as Fuchs endothelial corneal dystrophy (FECD). Corneal endothelial cells (CEC) were isolated from excised Descemet membranes of patients with end-stage FECD. CEC isolated from healthy corneas served as controls. Microarray gene profiling was performed on post-confluent cultures of healthy and FECD cells. Protein expression analyses were conducted on tissue models that were engineered by seeding an endothelium on previously devitalized human stromal carriers. The engineered endothelia were kept in culture for 1 to 3 weeks to reform the endothelial monolayer. Protein expression of integrin subunits α4, α6, αv and β1, as well as laminin, type IV collagen, fibronectin, clusterin and transforming growth factor β-induced protein (TGF-βIp) was then assessed by immunofluorescence. Microarray analysis showed a two-fold down regulati...