Abstract
Purpose :
Corneal opacification is the fourth leading cause of blindness worldwide. Current topical pharmacological treatments, such as Mitomycin-C and corticosteroids, may induce high intraocular pressure and scleral necrosis. Wolfberry extract Lycium barbarum polysaccharide (LBP) has been shown to reduce in-vitro corneal fibrosis, indicating its potential for treating in-vivo corneal opacification. The present study utilizes an in-vivo mice model to investigate the effects of topical LBP on minimising corneal opacification and accelerating corneal re-epithelialization after alkali-induced epithelial-stromal injury.
Methods :
An in-vivo alkali-induced epithelial-stromal injury model of C57Bl/6J wild-type mice (n=6) was developed. Right eyes of mice were injured with 0.5M NaOH-soaked filter paper for 45 seconds under anaesthesia. The cornea was then rinsed with filtered water. Experimental groups received either 2mg/mL or 20mg/mL topical LBP, while the control group received topical PBS. Topical treatments were applied for 7 consecutive days pre-injury, post-injury, or both. Corneal opacification was evaluated on Day 0, 1, 2, 3, 7, 14, 21, and 28 after injury, quantified by Modified Fantes score (0-4). Fluorescein staining was used to evaluate epithelialization.
Results :
Based on current data, all corneas developed mild opacification after alkali injury. On Day 28, groups treated with 2mg/mL and 20mg/mL LBP both before and after the injury showed the greatest reduction in opacification, with Fantes score of 2 (p<0.05) and 1.67 (p<0.05) respectively, compared to 3.17 of control group. In terms of re-epithelialization on Day 1, 2mg/mL and 20mg/mL LBP groups with pre-and-post-injury treatments showed statistically significant reduction in estimated epithelial defect area, 0.06cm3 (p<0.05) and 0.05cm3 (p<0.05) respectively, compared to control with 0.45cm3.
Conclusions :
Topical application of 2mg/mL and 20mg/mL LBP has effectively reduced corneal opacification and accelerated re-epithelialization when administered before and after alkali injury. Therefore, LBP may serve as a promising safe and practical therapeutic agent to treat chemical burns. Further investigations with greater sample size are needed to maximize study outcomes.
This abstract was presented at the 2024 ARVO Annual Meeting, held in Seattle, WA, May 5-9, 2024.