Temperature effects on the disappearance and reappearance of corneal-endothelium primary cilia.

Abstract

To elucidate the specific functions of the primary cilia in corneal endothelial cells (CECs) by investigating the histological changes of corneal endothelium exposed at low temperature. Experimental study. This study involved corneas freshly obtained from Japanese white rabbits preserved in Optisol™-GS (Bausch & Lomb) corneal storage medium at 4°C for 0, 1, and 7days. Corneas preserved for 7days were also incubated at 37°C in culture media for an additional 2days. A rabbit CEC line was also preserved in Optisol™-GS at 4°C for 0 and 1day. The corneal endothelium specimens and CECs were then assessed by immunostaining and scanning electron-microscopy (SEM). Immediately post isolation, the CECs of the specimens showed positive immunostaining for primary cilia (i.e., approximately 20%) via anti-acetylated alpha Tubulin antibody and SEM observation. Primary cilia were found to have attenuated/disappeared on the corneal endothelium specimens preserved for 1 or 7days at 4°C. After an additional 2-day incubation at 37°C, primary cilia reappeared on the corneal endothelium specimens (approximately 20%). The disappearance of cilia during the preservation period was also observed in the immortalized CECs. The findings in this study using rabbit corneas indicate that the primary cilia of corneal endothelium preserved at low temperature disappeared, then reappeared after returning to body temperature, suggesting that temperature has a direct effect on the primary cilia of corneal endothelium.