This result was confirmed with double immunofluorescence labeling, revealing that in pterygium stromal TCs always showed a PDGFRα+/nestin+ and PDGFRα+/CD34+ immunophenotype.
Most significantly, western blotting confirmed that two candidate proteins matrix metalloproteinase 10 (MMP-10) and CD34 were significantly upregulated in pterygia, suggesting that they have potential roles in the pathogenesis of pterygia.
On the basis of biological processes in gene ontology, the identified proteins were mainly involved in cellular process, metabolic process, developmental process, location, cellular component organization, Among these proteins, matrix Metalloproteinase 10 (MMP-10) and CD34 may have potential roles in the pathogenesis of pterygia.