Effect of cytochrome c peroxidase on the corneal epithelial healing process after excimer laser photo-ablation in transgenic mice.

AIM: To evaluate the role of commercially prepared cytochrome c peroxidase eye drops in corneal epithelial healing of transgenic B6(A)-Rpe65rd12/J mice after excimer laser photo-ablation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In our prospective animal series, 72 eyes of 36 mice had uneventful bilateral excimer laser photo-ablation. In each mouse, one eye received standard topical postoperative therapy with tobramycin, diclofenac, and dexamethasone eye drops plus cytochrome c peroxidase eye drops (two drops three times a day for 1 week or until corneal re-epithelialization was complete, corresponding to 15,000 IU/day). The fellow eye served as the control and received standard postoperative therapy plus placebo. The mice were monitored daily, commencing on the day after surgery, for 7 days to evaluate the corneal re-epithelialization rate using a video slit lamp camera with cobalt blue light. The mean diameter of the corneal wounds was measured. Videotaped images were recorded and analyzed by computer planimetry. RESULTS: All eyes treated with cytochrome c peroxidase eye drops healed completely before day 5 after surgery, with a mean re-epithelialization time of 92 +/- (SD) 10 h; the mean re-epithelialization time was 121 +/- 8 h in the eyes receiving placebo (p < 0.05). There were no statistically significant differences between the two groups in corneal haze presentation during the follow-up period (p = 0.70), perhaps because the observation period was too short (7 days). However, the corneal clarity, on slit lamp biomicroscopy, in the study group was higher than that in the control group. No side effects or toxic effects were observed

Effect of cytochrome c peroxidase on corneal epithelial healing process after photorefractive keratectomy.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the role of commercially prepared cytochrome c peroxidase eyedrops in corneal epithelial healing after photorefractive keratectomy (PRK). SETTING: Department of Pathophysiological Optics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy. METHODS: Seventy-two eyes of 36 patients affected by low to moderate refractive error (myopia and myopic astigmatism) had uneventful bilateral photorefractive keratectomy (PRK). In each patient, 1 eye (32 eyes) received standard postoperative therapy plus cytochrome c peroxidase eyedrops (3 times a day for 1 week or until corneal reepithelialization was completed, corresponding to 15 000). The fellow eye served as the control and received standard postoperative therapy plus placebo. Patients were monitored daily starting the day after surgery for 7 days to evaluate the corneal reepithelialization rate using a video slitlamp camera with a cobalt blue light. Mean diameter of corneal wounds was measured. Videotaped images were recorded and analyzed by computer planimetry. RESULTS: All the eyes treated with cytochrome c peroxidase eyedrops healed completely before day 5 postsurgery, with a mean reepithelialization time of 91 hours +/- 14 (SD); the mean reepithelialization time was 154 +/- 9 in eyes receiving placebo (

Effect of basic fibroblast growth factor in transgenic mice: corneal epithelial healing process after excimer laser photoablation.

Abstract PURPOSE: To evaluate the role of preparedbasic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) eyedrops in corneal epithelial healing of transgenic mice after excimer laser photoablation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In our prospective case series, 60 eyes of 30 mice had uneventful bilateral excimer laser photoablation. In each mouse, 1 eye received the standard topical postoperative therapy with tobramicin, diclofenac and dexamethasone eyedrops, plusbFGF eyedrops 5 microg/10 microl PBS 3 times a day for 1 week, or until corneal reepithelialization was complete. The fellow eye served as the control and received the standard postoperative therapy plus placebo. The mice were monitored daily, commencing the day after surgery and for 7 days, in order to evaluate the corneal reepithelialization rate by using a video slitlamp camera with a cobalt blue light. The mean diameter of the corneal wounds was measured. Videotaped images were recorded and analyzed by computer planimetry. RESULTS: All the eyes treated withbFGF eyedrops healed completely before day 5 after surgery, with a mean reepithelialization time of 90 +/- 12 h (standard deviation); the mean reepithelialization time was 124 +/- 10 h in those eyes receiving placebo. There were no statistically significant differences between the 2 groups in corneal haze presentation during the follow-up, perhaps because the time period was too brief (7 days). However, corneal clarity on slitlamp biomicroscopy was greater in the study group than in the control group. No side effects or toxic effects were documented. CONCLUSIONS: These data suggest that the bFGF significantly accelerates epithelial healing after excimer photoablation. A further clinical study should be performed to prove the results obtained in this study as well as the long-term efficacy of bFGF to prevent corneal haze

Effect of basic fibroblast growth factor in transgenic mice: corneal epithelial healing process after excimer laser photoablation

Abstract PURPOSE: To evaluate the role of preparedbasic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) eyedrops in corneal epithelial healing of transgenic mice after excimer laser photoablation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In our prospective case series, 60 eyes of 30 mice had uneventful bilateral excimer laser photoablation. In each mouse, 1 eye received the standard topical postoperative therapy with tobramicin, diclofenac and dexamethasone eyedrops, plusbFGF eyedrops 5 microg/10 microl PBS 3 times a day for 1 week, or until corneal reepithelialization was complete. The fellow eye served as the control and received the standard postoperative therapy plus placebo. The mice were monitored daily, commencing the day after surgery and for 7 days, in order to evaluate the corneal reepithelialization rate by using a video slitlamp camera with a cobalt blue light. The mean diameter of the corneal wounds was measured. Videotaped images were recorded and analyzed by computer planimetry. RESULTS: All the eyes treated withbFGF eyedrops healed completely before day 5 after surgery, with a mean reepithelialization time of 90 +/- 12 h (standard deviation); the mean reepithelialization time was 124 +/- 10 h in those eyes receiving placebo. There were no statistically significant differences between the 2 groups in corneal haze presentation during the follow-up, perhaps because the time period was too brief (7 days). However, corneal clarity on slitlamp biomicroscopy was greater in the study group than in the control group. No side effects or toxic effects were documented. CONCLUSIONS: These data suggest that the bFGF significantly accelerates epithelial healing after excimer photoablation. A further clinical study should be performed to prove the results obtained in this study as well as the long-term efficacy of bFGF to prevent corneal haze

A novel stem cell tag-less sorting method.

Growing interest in stem cell research has led to the development of a number of new methods for isolation. The lack of homogeneity in stem cell preparation blurs standardization, which however is recommended for successful applications. Among stem cells, mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are promising candidates for cell therapy applications. This paper presents a fractionation protocol based on a tag-less, flow-assisted method of purifying, distinguishing and sorting MSCs. The protocol entails a suspension of cells in a transport fluid being injected into a ribbon-like capillary device by continuous flow. In a relatively short time (about 30 min) sorted cells are collected. The protocol has been applied to the improvement of MSC isolation, with a specific view to reducing cell manipulation operations, keeping instrumental simplicity and increasing analytical information for cell characterization. Applications such as MSC purification from epithelial contaminants, MSC characterization from various human sources and sorting of MSC subpopulations with high differentiation potential are described. The low cost, full biocompatibility and scale-up potential of the protocol presented could make the procedure attractive for stem cell selection