Project description:The corneal epithelium is a stratified squamous epithelium that protects the eye from mechanical and toxic stress. In this system, cells are continually being sloughed off from the surface of the eye, and replenished by proliferation from corneal stem cells in the limbus, which migrate in and differentiate. During tissue development and homeostasis, distal regulatory regions called enhancers, which contain binding sites for numerous transcription factors, help to control and coordinate gene expression in a temporal and spatial specific manner. To identify enhancers in cornea epithelia, we performed ChIP-Seq with antibodies to the histone marks H3K4me3, H3K4me1, and H3K27ac in primary human corneal epithelial cells. Active enhancers were defined as having high levels of H3K4me1 and H3K27ac, and low levels of H3K4me3: 12,900 such regions were identified in the corneal epithelial cells. In combination with primary cell histone modification ChIP-Seq data from BROAD, 2946 active enhancer regions were identified that are unique to the corneal epithelial cells: 1551 of theses 2946 also overlie regions of high evolutionary constraint. Motif enrichment analysis of these regions has revealed binding sites for a number of transcription factors, highlighting their roles as key regulators of corneal epithelial development.
Project description:Human corneal endothelial cells (HCEC) form a monolayer by adhering tightly through their intercellular adhesion molecules. Located at the posterior corneal surface, they maintain corneal translucency by dehydrating the corneal stroma, mainly through the Na+- and K+-dependent ATPase (Na+/K+-ATPase). Because HCEC proliferative activity is low in vivo,we tried to activate proliferation of HCEC by inhibiting cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitors.We have here demonstrated microarray data of transduced human corneal endothelial cell lines. Affymetrix human U133 plus 2.0 array was used to transcriptionally profile to compare cultured human corneal endothelial cells and transduced human corneal endothelial cells.
Project description:Mycotic leratitis is the corneal inflammation predominantly caused by Fusarium and Aspergillus species. Corneal epithelium is the earliest cell type encounter the invading pathogen. The innate immune responses of human corneal epithelial cells against Aspergillus flavus is not known. Here we studied the role of human corneal epithelial cells against Aspergillus flavus infection. The results showed that corneal epithelial cells internalized Aspergillus flavus conidia through actin mediated polymerization surrounding the conidia. Further the actin inhibitor cytochalasin D treatment reduced the formation actin ring around the conidia. The engulfed conidia acquired endosomal proteins as revealed by immunofluorescence analsyisis. Mass spectromtery of phagosomal proteins confirmed the recruitment of endosomal proteins and other proteins involved in phagocytosis. These results show the involvement of corneal epithelial cells in anti fungal defense.