CHEMICALLY DECORATED DECELLULARIZED CORNEA AS FULL-THICKNESS STROMAL SUBSTITUTE

ABSTRACT

During the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, collection and donation of human cadaveric corneas are cumbersome. Decellularized corneas (DC) have gained intense popularity as a possible scaffold for corneal remodeling and as an alternative tissue source for corneal replacement. However, DC elicits immune response inspite of elimination of the cellular contents/antigens due to distortion of the collagen fibrils that exposes certain antigenic sites, which often lead to graft rejection. Therefore, here, we tested the hypothesis that cross-linking DC with chondroitin sulfate (CS) may help in restoring distorted conformational changes of the fibrous matrix and would reduce graft rejection. An in vitro immune response study confirmed that the cross-linked DC elicited the least immune response than DC. We implanted three sets of corneal scaffolds obtained from goat, i.e., native, decellularized, and DC conjugated with CS into rabbit stroma. Histology analysis, three months post-implantation confirmed seamless graft integration, cell migration, and no sign of inflammation in the crosslinked cornea. However, so far we have checked the immunogenic potential of decellularized and crosslinked cornea among cross-species(goat to rabbit). Now, before moving to a human clinical trial (patients with infectious keratitis), we are validating the decellularization of the human stromal layer using discarded human corneas not suitable for implantation, for the regeneration of the corneal endothelial layer. The decellularized, chemically decorated cornea will be tectonically strong, offer less immunogenicity, can be sterilized, and will have a longer shelf life. Through this novel study, we can meet the demand for alternative bioengineered human cornea for keratitis patients.