Perforating corneal injury in rat and pentadecapeptide BPC 157.
Based on its healing effects in various tissues, we hypothesized that the stable gastric pentadecapeptide BPC 157 heals corneal ulcerations in rats and effects corneal transparency. We made a penetrant linear 2-mm incision in the paralimbal region of the left cornea at the 5 o'clock position with a 20-gauge MVR incision knife at 45° under an operating microscope. Medication was BPC 157 (2 pg/mL, 2 ng/mL, and 2 μg/mL distilled water, two eye drops/left rat eye) immediately after injury induction and then every 8 h up to 120 h; controls received an equal volume of distilled water. In contrast to the poor healing response in controls, BPC 157 significantly accelerated the healing process in 2 μg and 2 ng BPC 157-treated eyes, starting 24 h after the injury, and the fluorescein and Seidel tests became negative. The epithelial defects were completely healed at 72 h (2 μg BPC 157-treated group) and at 96 h (2 ng BPC 157-treated group) after injury. Aqueous cells were absent at 96 h and 120 h after injury in the 2 μg and 2 ng BPC 157-treated groups, respectively. In conclusion, BPC 157 effects the rapid regaining of corneal transparency. Whereas controls developed new vessels that grew from the limbus to the penetrated area, BPC 157-treated rats generally had no new vessels, and those that did form in the limbus did not make contact with the penetrated area. Thus, BPC 157 eye drops successfully close perforating corneal incisions in rats.
University Department of Ophthalmology, Zagreb University Hospital Center, Zagreb, Croatia.
Sanja
S
Masnec
Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, School of Medicine, University of Osijek, Osijek, Croatia.
Antonio
A
Kokot
Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia.
Mirna
M
Zlatar
University Department of Ophthalmology, Zagreb University Hospital Center, Zagreb, Croatia.
Miro
M
Kalauz
Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia.
Kristian
K
Kunjko
Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia.
Bozo
B
Radic
Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia.
Robert
R
Klicek
Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia.
Domagoj
D
Drmic
Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia.
Ratimir
R
Lazic
Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia.
Luka
L
Brcic
Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, School of Medicine, University of Osijek, Osijek, Croatia.
Radivoje
R
Radic
University Department of Ophthalmology, Sestre Milosrdnice University Hospital Center, Zagreb, Croatia.
Renata
R
Ivekovic
Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia.
Sven
S
Seiwerth
Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia. Electronic address: sikiric@mef.hr.
Predrag
P
Sikiric
D000287:Administration, Topical; D000818:Animals; D000897:Anti-Ulcer Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D057112:Corneal Perforation / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D003320:Corneal Ulcer / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D019793:Fluorescein; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D015590:Fluorophotometry; D008297:Male; D009883:Ophthalmic Solutions; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011506:Proteins / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D014945:Wound Healing / Q000187:drug effects*
D000897:Anti-Ulcer Agents; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D009883:Ophthalmic Solutions; D010446:Peptide Fragments; D011506:Proteins; C083833:BPC 157; D019793:Fluorescein
BPC 157; Cornea; Healing promotion; Perforating injury; Rats