Effect of basic fibroblast growth factor in transgenic mice: corneal epithelial healing process after excimer laser photoablation.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the role of preparedbasic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) eyedrops in corneal epithelial healing of transgenic mice after excimer laser photoablation.


METHODS
In our prospective case series, 60 eyes of 30 mice had uneventful bilateral excimer laser photoablation. In each mouse, 1 eye received the standard topical postoperative therapy with tobramicin, diclofenac and dexamethasone eyedrops, plusbFGF eyedrops 5 microg/10 microl PBS 3 times a day for 1 week, or until corneal reepithelialization was complete. The fellow eye served as the control and received the standard postoperative therapy plus placebo. The mice were monitored daily, commencing the day after surgery and for 7 days, in order to evaluate the corneal reepithelialization rate by using a video slitlamp camera with a cobalt blue light. The mean diameter of the corneal wounds was measured. Videotaped images were recorded and analyzed by computer planimetry.


RESULTS
All the eyes treated withbFGF eyedrops healed completely before day 5 after surgery, with a mean reepithelialization time of 90 +/- 12 h (standard deviation); the mean reepithelialization time was 124 +/- 10 h in those eyes receiving placebo. There were no statistically significant differences between the 2 groups in corneal haze presentation during the follow-up, perhaps because the time period was too brief (7 days). However, corneal clarity on slitlamp biomicroscopy was greater in the study group than in the control group. No side effects or toxic effects were documented.


CONCLUSIONS
These data suggest that the bFGF significantly accelerates epithelial healing after excimer photoablation. A further clinical study should be performed to prove the results obtained in this study as well as the long-term efficacy of bFGF to prevent corneal haze.
Meduri
Alessandro
A
Department of Pathophysiological Optics, S. Orsola-Malpighi Hospital, University of Bologna, Italy. alexmeduri@hotmail.com
Scalinci
Sergio Zaccaria
SZ
Morara
Mariachiara
M
Ceruti
Piero
P
Grenga
Pier Luigi
PL
Zigiotti
Gian Luigi
GL
Scorolli
Lucia
L
D000818:Animals; D019573:Epithelium, Corneal / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D016222:Fibroblast Growth Factor 2 / Q000494:pharmacology*; D054018:Lasers, Excimer; D051379:Mice; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D018903:Photorefractive Keratectomy; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000517:prevention & control; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000378:metabolism; D014945:Wound Healing / Q000187:drug effects*
D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D016222:Fibroblast Growth Factor 2