title: Caveolin-1 as a novel indicator of wound-healing capacity in aged human corneal epithelium.
abstract: Excess caveolin-1 has been reported to play a role in age-dependent hyporesponsiveness to growth factors in vitro. Therefore, we hypothesized that caveolin-1-dependent hyporesponsiveness to growth factors in aged corneal epithelial cells might be responsible for delayed wound healing in vivo. To test this hypothesis, we evaluated corneal wound-healing time by vital staining using fluorescein after laser epithelial keratomileusis (LASEK). We compared wound-healing times in young, middle-aged and elderly patients. We also examined caveolin-1 levels and other aging markers, such as p53 and p21, in the corneal epithelium. Elderly patients generally had higher caveolin-1 levels in the corneal epithelia than young patients. There were, however, variations among individuals with increased caveolin-1 in some young patients and decreased levels in some elderly patients. Wound-healing time after LASEK correlated well with the corneal caveolin-1 status. Therefore, we suggest that caveolin-1 status might be responsible for delayed wound healing in elderly patients after LASEK. Caveolin-1 status might be a regulator for wound-healing capacity and a novel target for in vivo adjustment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Aging and Apoptosis Research Center, Institute on Aging, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Ji Heon
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Rhim
authors.forename: Jae Hoon
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Eui-Ju
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Yeo
authors.forename: Jae Chan
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Sang Chul
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Park
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D015415:Biomarkers; D051242:Caveolin 1 / Q000378:metabolism*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor / Q000378:metabolism; D019573:Epithelium, Corneal / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D049008:Keratectomy, Subepithelial, Laser-Assisted; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D051419:Paxillin / Q000378:metabolism; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013666:Tears / Q000737:chemistry; D014945:Wound Healing; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D051242:Caveolin 1; D051419:Paxillin; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor