Improving transparency and corneal wound healing in rare diseases by promoting corneal nerve regeneration

Abstract

Corneal nerves play a crucial role in maintaining the integrity of corneal tissue, as well as the proper regulation of tearing and blinking. When activated, corneal nerves release locally several factors, including neuropeptides, that contribute to the trophic maintenance of corneal tissues. So that, the reduction or absence of corneal nerves led to impaired corneal wound healing in addition to a loss of sensory input, resulting in lack of sensitivity and alterations in tearing and blinking rate. Such consequences are seen clinically in several rare diseases where severe nerve deficit is a prominent factor such as in neurotrophic keratopathy, where the cornea spontaneously ulcerates due to its inability to renew the epithelium and to heal epithelial wounds, leading to loss of corneal transparency. An advanced molecular therapy to increase corneal nerve regeneration and support the corneal neurotrophic environment in such ocular rare diseases is proposed.(Supported by RESTORE VISION – 101 080 611, Horizon Europe Framework Programme, European Commission)