Abstract
Purpose: :
To develop the new decellularization technique of porcine cornea and examine the efficacy of lamellar corneal xenograft using acellular porcine cornea (APC).
Methods: :
Porcine cornea was decellularized with DNase/RNase, three freezing-thawing, and centrifugation. Histologic evaluation by hematoxylin-eosin staining and Masson’s trichrome staining for cells and collagen matrix was performed in three groups, Fresh porcine cornea(1), APC(2), lyophilized APC(3). In addition, the clinical outcomes of porcine lamellar corneal xenografting were evaluated in the rabbits in the early period.
Results: :
Transparency of the APC were similar to that of the normal porcine cornea but lyophilized APC showed white sponge like feature. Decellularization were confirmed by H&E staining. After 2 weeks of xenograft, group 1 showed an acute rejection, and group 2 showed corneal opacity. But group 3 showed a graft failure at 1 month after xenograft. Histological result at 2 weeks after xenograft in group 1 showed the infilatration of many eosinophils and inflammatory cells. But group 2 and 3 showed few inflammatory cells without eosinophils at the interspace between host and recipient. Collagen fibers showed an irregularity and many vacuoles after decellularization processing, but it recovered its regularity and compactness after transplantation.
Conclusions: :
Newly developed acellular porcine cornea showed sufficient transparency, good collagen structures, and little immunogenicity for lamellar graft on the rabbit.
Keywords: cornea: basic science • wound healing