title: Platelet-Rich Plasma Prolongs Myofibroblast Accumulation in Corneal Stroma with Incisional Wound.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to determine whether platelet-rich plasma (PRP) has an effect on corneal stromal cells in a rat model of wound healing following corneal incision.
  
  
  METHODS
  The effect of PRP on corneal wound healing in vivo was investigated in a corneal incision wound model in rats. 40 rats were wounded by deep corneal incision, and treated with either topically administered PRP (20 rats) or sodium chloride (20 rats). At 4 h and 1, 3, and 5 days after incision, α-smooth muscle actin (α SMA), SMAD2 and SMAD3 expression and apoptosis in stromal cells were evaluated by immunohistochemistry, and IL-1β mRNA expression was evaluated by real time PCR.
  
  
  RESULTS
  PRP-treated corneas exhibited reduced stromal cell apoptosis at day 3 and day 5 (p = 0.038, and <0.001, respectively) relative to controls. Interleukin-1β mRNA expression, however, was unchanged in PRP-treated corneas relative to controls. Topical PRP treatment resulted in a higher proportion of αSMA-positive myofibroblasts recruited to the wound site relative to control corneas. PRP did not affect activation of SMAD2 but activation of SMAD3 was significantly reduced at day 1 (p = 0.001) and dramatically increased at day 5 (p = 0.032).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  PRP treatment resulted in suppressed stromal cell apoptosis followed by SMAD3 activation and a greater proportion of myofibroblasts present at the wound site. Suppression of stromal cell apoptosis after corneal wounding by use of a growth factor-rich formulation may lead to myofibroblast accumulation by modulation of the TGF-β pathway.
authors.affiliation: a Division of Ophthalmology, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences , Linköping University , Linköping , Sweden and.
authors.forename: Marina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Koulikovska
authors.affiliation: a Division of Ophthalmology, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences , Linköping University , Linköping , Sweden and.
authors.forename: Olena
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Szymanowski
authors.affiliation: a Division of Ophthalmology, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences , Linköping University , Linköping , Sweden and.|b Division of Cell Biology, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine , Integrative Regenerative Medicine Centre (IGEN), Linköping University , Linköping , Sweden.
authors.forename: Neil
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Lagali
authors.affiliation: a Division of Ophthalmology, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences , Linköping University , Linköping , Sweden and.|b Division of Cell Biology, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine , Integrative Regenerative Medicine Centre (IGEN), Linköping University , Linköping , Sweden.
authors.forename: Per
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Fagerholm
mesh_terms: D000199:Actins / Q000378:metabolism; D000287:Administration, Topical; D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis; D065306:Corneal Injuries / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D060527:Corneal Keratocytes / Q000473:pathology; D003319:Corneal Stroma / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D053583:Interleukin-1beta / Q000235:genetics; D008297:Male; D058628:Myofibroblasts / Q000378:metabolism*; D009883:Ophthalmic Solutions; D053657:Platelet-Rich Plasma / Q000502:physiology*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D051899:Smad2 Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D051900:Smad3 Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000378:metabolism; D014945:Wound Healing / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D000199:Actins; D053583:Interleukin-1beta; D009883:Ophthalmic Solutions; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D051899:Smad2 Protein; D051900:Smad3 Protein; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta; C000594089:IL1B protein, rat; C497784:Smad2 protein, rat; C497787:Smad3 protein, rat; C498862:Acta2 protein, rat
keywords: apoptosis; corneal wound healing; keratocytes; platelet-rich plasma; α-Smooth muscle actin