Abstract
Purpose :
Corneal injury induced by chemicals such as alkali and mustard gas is difficult to treat and can lead to blindness. Mouse models of corneal chemical burn are often used to study the underlying mechanisms and develop therapeutics. However, the accuracy and consistency of these models are compromised by the smaller size and greater curvature of mouse corneas. To address these issues, this study proposed a novel method in which 3D printing technology was used to improve the precision and reliability of classical chemical injury models.
Methods :
Using corneal bioparameters of C57BL/6J mice, modules of a hemispherical base and rod were specially designed, 3D printed, and then used for remolding the 2 mm-diameter filter paper into a "cap" shape. Next, alkali burn was induced in 8-10-week-old C57BL/6J mice by placing the dry filter "caps" on the right eyes and then applying 1 µL of 1 M NaOH for 30 s (left eyes as control). Images of fluorescein staining were taken within 1 minute post-injury to present the injured area, and subsequent imaging was performed with slit lamp, anterior segment optical coherence tomography (AS-OCT), and in vivo confocal microscopy (IVCM) on the 3rd, 7th, and 14th days post-injury, after which eyes were enucleated for histology and immunofluorescence.
Results :
Images taken by slit lamp showed a different contact pattern of the filter paper "cap" from the normal flat one. Following alkali injury, immediate post-injury fluorescein staining and imaging with slit lamp and AS-OCT showed the accuracy of the injured area and the consistency of post-injury swelling and stromal haze. IVCM imaging also provided detailed insights into altered arrangements of basic epithelial cells and infiltrated leukocytes. On the 14th day post injury, CD-31-labeled neovascularization was consistently observed in corneal flat mounts.
Conclusions :
This study introduces an innovative approach to enhance classical corneal chemical injury models through the utilization of 3D-printed fitting modules, and rigorous testing of this method demonstrated its accuracy and reliability. This model would address some limitations of mouse corneal chemical injury models and promise greater feasibility and practicality for future study.
This abstract was presented at the 2024 ARVO Annual Meeting, held in Seattle, WA, May 5-9, 2024.