Expression of Lubricin in the Human Amniotic Membrane

Abstract

Purpose-Lubricin, a boundary lubricant, is the body's unique anti-adhesive, anti-fibrotic, antifriction and anti-inflammatory glycoprotein. This amphiphile is produced by numerous tissues and acts to regulate a number of processes, such as homeostasis, shear stress, tissue development, innate immunity, inflammation and wound healing. We hypothesize that lubricin is also synthesized and expressed by the amniotic membrane (AM), which also possesses anti-adhesive, anti-fibrotic and anti-inflammatory properties. We also hypothesize that lubricin, at least in part, mediates these AM capabilities. Our goal was to test our hypothesis.Methods-We obtained multiple samples of fresh, cryopreserved (CP) and freeze-dried (FD) human AMs, as well as fresh placental tissue positive controls, and processed them for light microscopy, immunofluorescence and Western blot analyses. We also evaluated the ability of recombinant human (rh)-lubricin to associate with FD-AM.Results-Our results demonstrate that all fresh placental, fresh AM and CP-AM samples contained lubricin. Lubricin was expressed in placental chorionic villi, AM epithelial and stromal cells, and CP-AM epithelia. No lubricin could be detected in FD-AMs, but could be restored in FD-AM after overnight incubation with rh-lubricin.Conclusions-This study supports our hypothesis that lubricin is expressed in human AMs. In addition, our data show that preservation methods influence the extent of this expression. Indeed, the disappearance of lubricin in FD-AMs may explain why dried AM reportedly loses its antiinflammatory and anti-scarring abilities. It is possible that lubricin may mediate, at least in part, many of the biological properties of AMs.

<p>Amniotic Membrane Transplantation in Ophthalmology: An Updated Perspective</p>

“…Authors have also shown the glycoprotein Lubricin to be present in AM, which is a naturally occurring boundary lubricant with anti-inflammatory, anti-adhesive, and anti-friction properties and this is likely to play a role in the wide-ranging functions of AMT. 40 Fibrosis development is driven by the formation of myofibroblasts, which form following the activation of keratocytes, as a response to the disruption of the ocular surface. The anti-fibrotic features of amniotic membrane act in a complementary fashion to the anti-inflammatory nature of the tissue.…”

Characterization of a cold‐adapted esterase and mutants from a psychotolerant Pseudomonas sp. strain

“…Microbial mutation breeding methods have been widely used in the fermentation industry, including physical mutation methods, such as ultraviolet radiation and ion beam , and chemical mutagenesis methods, such as sodium azide, diethyl sulfate, and ethylmethane sulfonate . However, there had been few reports on the role of ARTP in improvement of enzyme activity.…”

Visual Acuity and Number of Amniotic Membrane Layers as Indicators of Efficacy in Amniotic Membrane Transplantation for Corneal Ulcers: A Multicenter Study

“…We analyzed data from 223 AMT cases in 191 patients with NHCUs of different etiologies. In all cases, cryopreserved AMs were used as they contain high concentrations of growth factors [ 7 , 44 ] and lubricin, a boundary lubricant ( Figure 1 ) [ 17 , 45 ]. Cryopreserved AMs are most widely used because of their biosafety [ 43 ] The protocols of provincial and regional biobanks established by the National Health System were followed, with sterility controls and serological studies of donors and recipients [ 15 ].…”

“…This tissue has multiple biological properties, including the induction of cell proliferation, reduction of neovascularization, anti-scarring properties, increasing migration of cells such as keratinocytes, pool corneal regeneration, and little or no immunogenicity [ 7 , 14 , 15 , 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 ]. Heavy chain hyaluronan/pentraxin 3 (HC-HA/PTX3), a matrix component of AM, is a key factor responsible for the aforementioned AM’s properties [ 16 , 17 , 21 ].…”

“…This tissue has multiple biological properties, including the induction of cell proliferation, reduction of neovascularization, anti-scarring properties, increasing migration of cells such as keratinocytes, pool corneal regeneration, and little or no immunogenicity [ 7 , 14 , 15 , 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 ]. Heavy chain hyaluronan/pentraxin 3 (HC-HA/PTX3), a matrix component of AM, is a key factor responsible for the aforementioned AM’s properties [ 16 , 17 , 21 ]. These properties favor its use in ophthalmological pathologies, such as persistent corneal ulcers (neurotrophic, post-herpetic) [ 7 , 22 , 23 , 24 , 25 , 26 , 27 , 28 ], descemetoceles [ 29 ], perforations [ 7 , 14 , 26 , 30 , 31 , 32 ], and chemical burns [ 7 , 14 , 33 , 34 , 35 , 36 , 37 , 38 , 39 ].…”