Abstract
AbstractDamage to corneal nerves results in decreased sensitivity, dry eye, and neurotrophic keratitis. Rabbit corneas treated with pigment epithelial derived factor (PEDF) and the ω‐3 fatty acid docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) after lamellar keratectomy increase nerve regeneration and stimulates the synthesis of neuroprotectin D1 (NPD1). NPD1 also increases nerve density. The regenerated nerves contain similar proportion of calcitonin‐gene related peptide (CGRP) to non‐injured corneas. We compared the action of two smaller PEDF derivatives that maintain part of the bioactivity and can have better penetration. Animals after surgery were treated with a 44 mer‐PEDF, with neuroprotective activity, and with a 34 mer‐PEDF, with antiangiogenic properties, in association with DHA. The 44‐mer PEDF plus DHA‐treated group showed a two‐fold increase in subepithelial corneal nerve area compared to the 34‐mer PEDF+DHA‐ and vehicle‐treated groups. These results demonstrate that the use of NPD1 and 44‐mer PEDF plus DHA could represent novel therapeutic approaches for managing eye conditions that perturb corneal nerve integrity. (Supported by NIH‐NEI grant EY019465)
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