title: Comparison of cytotoxicities and wound healing effects of diquafosol tetrasodium and hyaluronic acid on human corneal epithelial cells.
abstract: This study aimed to compare the cellular toxicities of three clinically used dry eye treatments; 3% diquafosol tetrasodium and hyaluronic acid at 0.3 and 0.18%. A methyl thiazolyltetrazoiun (MTT)-based calorimetric assay was used to assess cellular proliferation and a lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) leakage assay to assess cytotoxicity, using Human corneal epithelial cells (HCECs) exposed to 3% diquafosol tetrasodium, 0.3% hyaluronic acid (HA), or 0.18% HA or 1, 6 or 24 h. Cellular morphology was evaluated by inverted phase-contrast light microscopy and electron microscopy, and wound widths were measured 24 h after confluent HCECs were scratched. Diquafosol had a significant, time-dependent, inhibitory effect on HCEC proliferation and cytotoxicity. HCECs treated with diquafosol detached more from the bottoms of dishes and damaged cells showed degenerative changes, such as, reduced numbers of microvilli, vacuole formation, and chromatin of the nuclear remnant condensed along the nuclear periphery. All significantly stimulated reepithelialization of HCECs scratched, which were less observed in diquafosol. Therefore, epithelial toxicity should be considered after long-term usage of diquafosol and in overdose cases, especially in dry eye patients with pre-existing punctated epithelial erosion.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, School of Medicine, Pusan National University, Busan 49241, Korea.
authors.forename: Jong Heon
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, School of Medicine, Pusan National University, Busan 49241, Korea.
authors.forename: Jong Soo
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Gyeongsang National University Changwon Hospital, School of Medicine, Gyeongsang National University, Changwon 51472, Korea.
authors.forename: Sujin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, School of Medicine, Pusan National University, Busan 49241, Korea.; Research Institute for Convergence of Biomedical Science and Technology, Pusan National University Yangsan Hospital, Yangsan 50612, Korea.
authors.forename: Ji Eun
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Lee
keywords: Diquafosol; Dry eye syndromes; Hyaluronic acid; Toxicity