title: Removal of the basement membrane enhances corneal wound healing.
abstract: Recurrent corneal erosions are painful and put patients' vision at risk. Treatment typically begins with debridement of the area around the erosion site followed by more aggressive treatments. An in vivo mouse model has been developed that reproducibly induces recurrent epithelial erosions in wild-type mice spontaneously within two weeks after a single 1.5 mm corneal debridement wound created using a dulled-blade. This study was conducted to determine whether 1) inhibiting MMP9 function during healing after dulled-blade wounding impacts erosion development and 2) wounds made with a rotating-burr heal without erosions. Oral or topical inhibition of MMPs after dulled-blade wounding does not improve healing. Wounds made by rotating-burr heal with significantly fewer erosions than dulled-blade wounds. The localization of MMP9, β4 integrin and basement membrane proteins (LN332 and type VII collagen), immune cell influx, and reinnervation of the corneal nerves were compared after both wound types. Rotating-burr wounds remove the anterior basement membrane centrally but not at the periphery near the wound margin, induce more apoptosis of corneal stromal cells, and damage more stromal nerve fibers. Despite the fact that rotating-burr wounds do more damage to the cornea, fewer immune cells are recruited and significantly more wounds resolve completely.
authors: The George Washington University Medical Center, Department of Anatomy and Regenerative Biology, Washington, DC 20037, USA.
authors: Sonali
authors: S
authors: Pal-Ghosh
authors: Ahdeah
authors: A
authors: Pajoohesh-Ganji
authors: Gauri
authors: G
authors: Tadvalkar
authors: Mary Ann
authors: MA
authors: Stepp
mesh_terms: D060433:Administration, Ophthalmic; D000284:Administration, Oral; D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis; D001485:Basement Membrane / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules / Q000378:metabolism; D024143:Collagen Type VII / Q000378:metabolism; D003315:Cornea / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology / Q000294:innervation / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D003316:Corneal Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D003646:Debridement / Q000295:instrumentation; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D039663:Integrin beta4 / Q000378:metabolism; D020780:Matrix Metalloproteinase 9 / Q000378:metabolism; D061965:Matrix Metalloproteinase Inhibitors; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D011480:Protease Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage; D013997:Time Factors; D014945:Wound Healing / Q000187:drug effects; D000097794:Kalinin
chemical_list: D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules; D024143:Collagen Type VII; D039663:Integrin beta4; D020780:Matrix Metalloproteinase 9; D061965:Matrix Metalloproteinase Inhibitors; D011480:Protease Inhibitors; D000097794:Kalinin; C501830:Mmp9 protein, mouse