Role Of Secretory Leukocyte Protease Inhibitor In The Pathophysiology Of Corneal Wound Healing.

Abstract

Purpose: : SLPI is an antimicrobial and antiprotease peptide, highly expressed in inflammatory and infection diseases as a part of innate immunity. We designed two animal models to identify the SLPI expression in normal and pathologic corneal wound healing process.

Methods: : Fifty female Lewis rats (200g) were randomly divided into two test groups as follows: 1) Infectious keratitis was induced in twenty five Lewis rats by topical administration of 85 colony–forming units of viable Staphylococcus aureus in the right eye after mechanical corneal epithelial defects. 2) Corneal wound healing model were created in the right eye (n=25) using PRK excimer laser with 4 mm central corneal ablation. Twenty four and 48 hours post–injury, the animals were sacrificed.The eyes were excised and processed for histopathology, immunohistochemical staining and Western blot assay studies

Results: : The immunostaining and western blot techniques shows that SLPI was detected in corneal wounded samples at significant increased levels compared with control eyes. The SLPI expression at corneal epithelium and stroma was mainly associated to leukocyte inflammatory infiltration and metalloproteinases increased expression.

Conclusions: : Our study indicates that SLPI may have an antimicrobial and antiprotease function, promoting up–regulation of local eye innate immunity and normal wound healing

Keywords: cornea: basic science • inflammation • wound healing