Changes in corneal basal epithelial phenotypes in an altered basement membrane

Background: To examine the corneal epithelial phenotype in an altered basement membrane. Methodology/Principal Findings: Corneas from 9 patients with symptoms of continuous unstable corneal curvature (CUCC) were harvested by penetrating keratoplasty and subjected to histology examination and immunohistochemical staining with transactivating and N-terminally truncated pP63 transcript (DNp63), cytokeratin 3 (Krt3), ATP-binding cassette subfamily G member 2 (ABCG2), connexin 43 (CX43), p38 mitogen-activated protein kinases (p38MAPK), activating protein 2 (TFAP2), and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (Erk1/2) monoclonal antibodies. Positive immunostaining with ABCG2, p38MAPK, and TFAP2 monoclonal antibodies was observed in the basal epithelial cells of CUCC patients, and CX43 and DNp63 were detected in the full-thickness epithelial cells of CUCC patients. Conclusions/Significance: Our results indicate that alteration of the corneal basement membrane induces a dedifferentiation- like phenotype in corneal basal epithelial cells.