Immunotactoid microtubular corneal deposits in bilateral paraprotein crystalline keratopathy

Cornea. 2009 Aug;28(7):829-31. doi: 10.1097/ICO.0b013e318191449a.

Abstract

Purpose: To report an ultrastructurally distinct form of paraprotein crystalline keratopathy.

Methods: Three corneas submitted from a single patient including one native cornea from each eye and a failed corneal graft from the right eye. Light microscopy, immunohistochemistry, immunofluorescence, and transmission electron microscopic examination were performed.

Results: The transmission electron microscopy showed "immunotactoid" extracellular microtubular deposits measuring >30 nm in diameter with a central lucent core.

Conclusions: Immunotactoid keratopathy is a distinct type of paraprotein crystalline keratopathy associated with a monocolonal immunoglobulin G kappa light chain (IgGk) protein. Larger case series are needed to determine the clinical significance of this entity.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Corneal Diseases / etiology*
  • Corneal Diseases / immunology
  • Corneal Diseases / pathology
  • Corneal Stroma / immunology
  • Corneal Stroma / pathology*
  • Corneal Transplantation
  • Graft Rejection
  • Humans
  • Immunoglobulin G / immunology
  • Immunoglobulin kappa-Chains / immunology
  • Leukemia, Lymphoid / complications
  • Male
  • Paraproteinemias / complications*
  • Paraproteinemias / immunology
  • Paraproteinemias / pathology

Substances

  • Immunoglobulin G
  • Immunoglobulin kappa-Chains