Shifts in subsets of blood lymphocyte subpopulations in patients with keratolysis as predictors of the outcome of emergency corneal transplantation

Purpose of the study: a detailed description of shifts in subsets of blood lymphocyte subpopulations associated with lysis of the native cornea/graft prior to emergency keratoplasty. Material and methods. We conducted immunological studies of 30 patients aged 18–76 with lysis of own cornea and keratotransplant. All patients underwent urgent keratoplasty. After the operation, patients received standard therapy. Depending on the outcome of the surgical intervention, the patients were divided into two groups. The 1st group consisted of 10 people with favorable engraftment of the keratoplasty; the 2nd included 20 patients with keratolysis. The study material was blood samples taken from the cubital vein on an empty stomach in the morning. Phenotyping was performed by flow laser cytofluorimetry on a BD FACS Canto II cytometer using the Multitest 6-Color TBNK Reagent monoclonal antibody system in BD TruCount tubes. For erythrocyte lysis and leukocyte fixation, BD FACS TM Lysing Solution is used. The relative and absolute content of lymphocyte populations and subpopulations is determined in the Canto program. Results. We have identified some common changes characteristic of patients before urgent keratoplasty, i.e., a increase in the numbers CD45+, a significant increase absolute contents of the T-cell population CD3+, CD3+CD4+ subpopulation as compared with the control group. A statistically significant increase relative and absolute contents of the natural killer cells, significant reduction relative and absolute contents of the T-cell population, CD3+CD4+ subpopulation proved to be a distinctive feature of the group with keratograft lysis. Conclusion. Parameters of cellular immune status have been determined that can be used to predict unfavorable engraftment of кeratotransplant. The obtained data are important for understanding pathogenesis of keratograft lysis, and should be taken into account when predicting and developing a differentiated approach to the treatment of this pathological process.

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