Article
Cell & Tissue Engineering
Anna Altshuler, Aya Amitai-Lange, Noam Tarazi, Sunanda Dey, Lior Strinkovsky, Shira Hadad-Porat, Swarnabh Bhattacharya, Waseem Nasser, Jusuf Imeri, Gil Ben-David, Ghada Abboud-Jarrous, Beatrice Tiosano, Eran Berkowitz, Nathan Karin, Yonatan Savir, Ruby Shalom-Feuerstein
Summary: This study revealed the differences in LSC populations at different locations, maintaining corneal health in the outer and inner limbal regions. It also found that LSC populations are abundant, following stochastic rules and neutral drift dynamics.
Article
Ophthalmology
Wending Yang, Sun Kyong Lee, Ordan J. Lehmann, Zhijian Wu, Suja Hiriyanna, Anand Swaroop, Robert M. Lavker, Han Peng, Tsutomu Kume
Summary: Limbal epithelial stem cells can change from a quiescent mitotic phenotype to a rapidly proliferating cell in response to corneal epithelial wounding. Overexpression of FOXC1 in the limbal epithelium enhances the behavior of stem cells and promotes their transition from quiescence to a highly proliferative status.
EXPERIMENTAL EYE RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Ophthalmology
Shuai Yang, Weiwei Chen, Shanshan Jin, Guangying Luo, Xia Jing, Qi Liu, Peter S. Reinach, Jia Qu, Dongsheng Yan
Summary: This study reveals the crucial role of SUV39H1 in corneal epithelial cell proliferation during wound healing, mediated by H3K9me3-dependent suppression of p27. These findings suggest that epigenetic modifiers such as SUV39H1 could be potential therapeutic approaches to accelerate corneal repair.
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Qiang Zhou, Victor H. Guaiquil, Matthea Wong, Alejandro Escobar, Evguenia Ivakhnitskaia, Ghasem Yazdanpanah, Hongwu Jing, Michael Sun, Joy Sarkar, Yuncin Luo, Mark Rosenblatt
Summary: The acellular porcine corneal stroma (APCS) hydrogel demonstrated optimal light transmittance and gelation properties, retaining critical corneal ECM components. It showed higher porosity, faster nutrition diffusion, improved proliferation of corneal cells, and enhanced viability and infiltration. The APCS-gel also improved corneal epithelial stemness and wound healing in vitro and in vivo, making it a promising option for clinical applications.
ACTA BIOMATERIALIA
(2021)
Article
Ophthalmology
Guangying Luo, Weiwei Xu, Xiaoyan Chen, Wenji Xu, Shuai Yang, Jiao Wang, Yong Lin, Peter S. Reinach, Dongsheng Yan
Summary: This study investigates the role of NSUN2 in corneal epithelial wound healing (CEWH) and its underlying mechanisms. The expression of NSUN2 and RNA m5C level significantly increased during CEWH. NSUN2 knockdown delays CEWH and inhibits cell proliferation and migration, while NSUN2 overexpression enhances cell proliferation and migration. Mechanistically, NSUN2 increases the translation of UHRF1 mRNA through the binding of RNA m5C reader Aly/REF export factor, thereby modulating CEWH. This finding highlights the critical importance of this novel epitranscriptomic mechanism in controlling CEWH.
INVESTIGATIVE OPHTHALMOLOGY & VISUAL SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Ya Li, Jing Li, Can Zhao, Lingling Yang, Xia Qi, Xiaochuan Wang, Qingjun Zhou, Weiyun Shi
Summary: Hyperglycemia reduces NAD(+) biosynthesis in the cornea, leading to impaired epithelial wound healing in diabetic mice and patients. Replenishment of NAD(+) and its precursors can facilitate corneal wound healing and nerve regeneration in diabetic conditions, suggesting a novel therapeutic strategy for diabetic corneal complications.
METABOLISM-CLINICAL AND EXPERIMENTAL
(2021)
Article
Ophthalmology
Lili Ran, Jing Feng, Xia Qi, Ting Liu, Benxiang Qi, Kai Jiang, Zhenzhen Zhang, Yang Yu, Qingjun Zhou, Lixin Xie
Summary: This study aims to reveal the role of cold-sensing transient receptor potential melastatin 8 (TRPM8) in the ocular surface. The knockout of the TRPM8 gene was found to weaken the perception of coldness, basal tear secretion, and corneal thickness. Corneal opacity and increased corneal thickness were observed in aged TRPM8 knockout mice. After corneal epithelial wounding, squamous metaplasia emerged in TRPM8 knockout corneas. The IFN-β and IFN-γ signaling pathways were significantly activated in TRPM8 knockout mice. Overall, TRPM8 plays an important role in corneal wound healing.
INVESTIGATIVE OPHTHALMOLOGY & VISUAL SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Cell & Tissue Engineering
Meri Vattulainen, Tanja Ilmarinen, Taina Viheriala, Vilma Jokinen, Heli Skottman
Summary: Functional limbal stem cells (LSCs) were successfully differentiated from human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs), showing similar marker expression and wound healing capacity to tissue-derived LSCs. Post-thaw hPSC-LSCs exhibited a robust response to the injury-associated signal mediator ATP and demonstrated higher wound healing capacity compared to tissue-derived LSCs.
STEM CELL RESEARCH & THERAPY
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Xiao Lin, Isabel Y. Moreno, Lawrence Nguyen, Tarsis F. Gesteira, Vivien J. Coulson-Thomas
Summary: Reactive oxygen species (ROS) can cause fragmentation of hyaluronan (HA), altering its physiological activity. The chemical structures and physiological properties of oxidized HA products (oxHA) vary depending on the oxidizing agent.
Article
Chemistry, Medicinal
Yutaro Tobita, Takeshi Arima, Yuji Nakano, Masaaki Uchiyama, Akira Shimizu, Hiroshi Takahashi
Summary: The study found that each subtype-selective PPAR agonist accelerated corneal epithelial healing by promoting proliferative capacity and inhibiting inflammation.
Article
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Zhenzhen Zhang, Lingling Yang, Ya Li, Di Sun, Rong Chen, Shengqian Dou, Ting Liu, Sai Zhang, Qingjun Zhou, Lixin Xie
Summary: Diabetic keratopathy (DK) is characterized by delayed epithelial regeneration and sensory nerve degeneration, and here we found that dysfunction of limbal stem/progenitor cells (LSPCs) is involved in the pathogenesis. Sympathetic overactivation was observed in diabetic mice and directly impaired LSPCs function, while surgical and pharmacological ablation of sympathetic nerves restored LSPCs function and promoted corneal epithelial regeneration. Furthermore, Adrb2 was identified as the predominant adrenergic receptor expressed in LSPCs, and its knockout or specific antagonist application accelerated diabetic corneal epithelial regeneration through the NE-Adrb2-Shh signaling pathway.
BIOMEDICINE & PHARMACOTHERAPY
(2023)
Article
Cell & Tissue Engineering
Le-Yi Wang, Yu-Ting Zhang, Li-Qun Du, Xin-Yi Wu, Jing Zhu
Summary: SPARC protein enhances the proliferation of limbal epithelial stem cells and accelerates corneal wound healing by promoting cell migration. It also suppresses epithelial differentiation, but its function can be impaired by intact epithelium.
STEM CELLS AND DEVELOPMENT
(2021)
Article
Biology
Yingnan Zhang, Khoi K. Do, Fuhua Wang, Xiaoqin Lu, John Y. Liu, Chi Li, Brian P. Ceresa, Lijun Zhang, Douglas C. Dean, Yongqing Liu
Summary: The cornea is a crucial ocular tissue for protecting the eye. ZEB1, a transcription factor, is found to play a role in corneal epithelial wound healing. Monoallelic deletion of Zeb1 accelerates corneal cell death and inhibits corneal epithelial cell migration. TNF-alpha antagonists may be used to promote corneal wound healing by reducing cell death and inflammation.
COMMUNICATIONS BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Ophthalmology
Renata Ruoco Loureiro, Priscila Cardoso Cristovam, Larissa Rigobeli da Rosa, Lucimeire Nova, Gustavo Gasparetto, Cristiane Damas Gil, Jose Alvaro Pereira Gomes
Summary: The study showed that corneal fibroblast (CM) treatment containing high concentrations of keratinocyte growth factor and hepatocyte growth factor was most effective in promoting corneal wound healing, improving epithelial defects, maintaining thickness, and reducing opacity and neovascularization.
EXPERIMENTAL EYE RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Pascale Desjardins, Rebecca Berthiaume, Camille Couture, Gaetan Le-Bel, Vincent Roy, Francois Gros-Louis, Veronique J. Moulin, Stephanie Proulx, Sylvain Chemtob, Lucie Germain, Sylvain L. Guerin
Summary: Corneal wound healing involves communication between different cell types, which is partially mediated by exosomes. This study isolated exosomes released by different corneal cell types and found that they can accelerate wound healing. Additionally, exosomes alter the expression pattern of regulated genes. These findings are important for understanding the mechanisms of corneal wound repair and may lead to new therapeutic approaches.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2022)