Abstract
Purpose :
Various mediums have been reported for the culture of corneal epithelial cells (CECs). In this present study, we investigated the effect of CEC culture medium as a novel medical agent for corneal epithelial wound healing.
Methods :
In order to optimize the culture medium for CECs, a combination of Xeno-free B27 (Life Technologies.Carlsbad,CA), Rho-associated protein kinase (ROCK)-inhibitor Y-27632(Wako Pure Chemical Industries ,Osaka, JAPAN) , keratinocyte growth factor (KGF) (Wako Pure Chemical Industries ,Osaka, JAPAN) , and catechin epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) (Sigma-Aldrich ,U.S,Missouri)
(i.e., BYKE medium) was used for BrdU ELISA. Morphological and cell biological effects of the optimized culture medium were examined using a rabbit corneal wound healing model. The safety issue on the ocular surface was also examined using a rabbit corneal instillation model (in vivo) and a rabbit corneal preservation model (ex vivo).
Results :
B27, Y-27632, KGF, and EGCG were all found to be essential for optimization of the BYKE culture medium for CECs. In the rabbit corneal wound healing model, the BYKE medium instillation group significantly promoted wound healing of the corneal epithelium (n=4, P<0.05) as compared with the control group. In addition, in the rabbit corneal instillation model, no cytotoxicity was observed by BYKE medium instillation. Furthermore, in the rabbit corneal preservation model, the BYKE medium group did not develop obvious corneal epithelial damage and morphologic abnormality as compared with the control group.
Conclusions :
The findings of this study illustrate that our previously reported BYKE CEC culture medium is a safe and effective medical agent for corneal wound healing.
This is an abstract that was submitted for the 2018 ARVO Annual Meeting, held in Honolulu, Hawaii, April 29 - May 3, 2018.