Ilene K. Gipson is a Professor of Ophthalmology in the Department of Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, and the “Ocular Surface Scholar” at the Schepens Eye Research Institute. She is a cell biologist and a leading researcher in ocular surface biology. Her expertise is in epithelial cell biology and molecular structure and function of mucins. Dr. Gipson received her Ph.D. in Zoology from the University of Arkansas in 1973. She has authored or co-authored over 80 manuscripts in peer-reviewed scientific journals and served as contributing reviewer for Archives of Ophthalmology, Cornea, Journal of Cell Biology, Developmental Biology and others. She is an editorial board member for Ocular Surface. Dr. Gipson is the Principal Investigator on two NIH grants and currently holds a patent on Monoclonal Antibody (H185) to Ocular and Vaginal Surface Epithelium. She is a current member of the International Society for Eye Research and serves as the North American Vice President until 2006.

About the lecture

"Are Membrane-Associated Mucins on Apical Surfaces of Epithelia Redundant or Specialized?"

The major focus of our current research is mucin gene expression by ocular surface epithelia. In characterizing molecular components of hemidesmosomes, we serendipitously developed monoclonal antibodies to a mucin expressed by the stratified epithelia of the cornea and conjunctiva. This human-specific antibody is to a carbohydrate on a membrane-spanning mucin, which has an altered distribution pattern on conjunctival cells of humans with dry eye syndrome. We have recently determined that the antibody is recognizing a newly described mucin, MUC16 We are currently studying the regulation of expression of the membrane spanning mucins we have shown to be expressed by the ocular surface epithelia (MUC1, MUC4 and MUC16) using recently developed immortalized corneal and conjunctival epithelial cell lines.

We found MUC5AC, a large secreted mucin, to be the major conjunctival goblet cell mucin, and studies are underway to determine regulation of its expression. Since goblet cells, which derive from the same stem cell as stratified cells, disappear in patients with severe forms of dry eye, studies of goblet cell differentiation, using the mucin gene as a marker, may yield information relevant to treatment of these diseases. In clinical studies, we determined that MUC5AC expression is down regulated in patients with the Sjögren’s form of dry eye. Using a sensitive ELISA that we developed for the MUC5AC mucin, we have demonstrated that the mucin content of tears of dry eye patients is significantly reduced.

Based on our clinical findings and on our basic studies, we hypothesize that membrane-spanning and secreted mucins function in the maintenance of the tear film on the eye and in the prevention of pathogen penetrance into the ocular surface epithelia. Thus, our future research goals are to learn how to induce goblet cell differentiation, using mucin gene expression as assay, to characterize effects of retinoids and hormones on membrane-spanning mucin gene expression, and to understand mucin glycosylation. These goals will yield fundamental information that may impact treatment of dry eye syndromes and the understanding of protection of the ocular surface epithelia.

Quoted from the 2005-2006 Loyd E. Harris Lecture Series Announcement Brochure.