ABSTRACT
Background Corneal epithelial abrasion results in corneal ulcer and stroma cloudy evenb irreversible visual impairment.Previous drugs for corneal epithelial injury can only alleviate the inflammatory irritation.So it is very important to seek a drug which regulate the growth of corneal epithelium.Objective This study was to investigate the effects of recombinant human BIGH3 protein eye drops on corneal epithelial abrasion.Methods Fifty right eyes of 50 clean adult New Zealand white rabbits were collected.Two rabbits were sacrificed right away following establishment of corneal epithelial abrasion models (0 hour group).The other 48 rabbits were randomly divided into recombinant human epidermal growth factor (EGF) derivative group (positive control group),normal saline solution group (negative control group),0.25％ or 0.5％ recombinant human BIGH3 protein eye drops group.Corneal abrasion models were created with alcohol corrosion method with a defect area of 7 mm2.The corresponding eye drops were used separately in 4 groups for four times per day after operation.Experimental eyes were examined by the slit lamp microscope,and fluorescein vital staining were performed 12,24,36,48,72 hours after operation.Planimetry was performed and the corneal photographs were analyzed with computer software.The rabbits were sacrificed 12,24,36,48 and 72 hours after operation,respectively,and the histopathological examination of corneal tissue was carried out.Results No obvious irritation response was seen after administered of eye drops in the recombinant human EGF derivative group,normal saline solution group,0.25％ and 0.5％ recombinant human BIGH3 protein eye drops groups.Histopathological examination revealed a full-thickness defect of corneal epithelium after modeling.The defect area was gradually smaller with time lapse,and corneal epithelium migrated from periphery toward the center zone.Corneal epithelial cells increased with time lapse.Compared with normal saline solution group,the defect area of corneal epithelium lessened 12,24,36,48 hours after operation in the 0.25％,0.5％ recombinant human BIGH3 protein eye drops groups and recombinant human EGF derivative group (all at P =0.000),but at 12and 24,36 hours after operation,no significant differences were found between the recombinant human EGF derivative group and normal saline solution group (P =0.321,0.057,0.126).The defect area was smaller in the 0.5％recombinant human BIGH3 protein eye drops group than that of the recombinant human EGF derivative group at various time points (P=0.042,0.039,0.025,0.008).However,significant smaller defect area was exhibited only at 12 hours and 24 hours after operation in the 0.25％ recombinant human BIGH3 protein eye drops group (P=0.047,0.042).No significant differences were seen in corneal defect area at various time points between 0.25％ and 0.5％recombinant human BIGH3 protein eye drops groups (P =0.358,0.259,0.108,0.062).In addition,the corneal defect area was (0.51 ±0.42)mm2 72 hours after operation in the normal saline group;while that in the recombinant human EGF derivative group and recombinant human BIGH3 protein eye drops groups was disappeared.The repairing curves in the recombinant human BIGH3 protein eye drops groups were superior to those of the recombinant human EGF derivative group and normal saline solution group.Conclusions 0.25％ and 0.5％ recombinant human BIGH3 protein eye drops have facilitation effect on the growth of corneal epithelial cells and the healing of corneal injury.