Abstract
Purpose:
To investigated the wound healing effect of adiponectin eye drops in a mouse model of ocular chemical burn.
Methods:
Chemical burn of the ocular surface was induced by 0.1N NaOH in C57BL/6 mice. Injured mice were topically treated with 0.0001%, 0.001% and 0.01% adiponectin, or 0.1% hyaluronic acid (HA) four times daily. The changes of corneal epithelial defects and degree of haze were analyzed at 6 h, 1, 2, 3, 5, and 7 days. The concentration of IL-1β and TGF-β in the cornea was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay at 7 days after treatment. Histological examination was also performed at 7 days.
Results:
Mice treated with 0.001% or 0.01% adiponectin showed a significant improvement in epithelial defect parameters and haze scores compared with the control and HA-treated groups from 2-7 days (p < 0.05). A significant decrease in the levels of IL-1β and TGF-β were observed in the 0.001% and 0.01% adiponectin-treated groups, compared with the other groups. Histological examination showed better epithelial integrity and lower stromal inflammation and edema in the 0.001% and 0.01% adiponectin groups than the other groups.
Conclusions:
0.001% and 0.01% adiponectin eye drops markedly improved clinical signs and decreased inflammation in the ocular surface of the mouse after alkali burn, suggesting that adiponectin treatment can promote the epithelial wound healing in the cornea.