Document Type
Article
Publication Date
2-2018
Abstract
PURPOSE. We tested the potential of bone morphogenic protein 7 (BMP7) and hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) combination gene therapy to treat preformed corneal fibrosis using established rabbit in vivo and human in vitro models.
METHODS. Eighteen New Zealand White rabbits were used. Corneal fibrosis was produced by alkali injury. Twenty-four hours after scar formation, cornea received topically either balanced salt solution (BSS; n ¼ 6), polyethylenimine-conjugated gold nanoparticle (PEI2-GNP)-naked plasmid (n ¼ 6) or PEI2-GNP plasmids expressing BMP7 and HGF genes (n ¼ 6). Donor human corneas were used to obtain primary human corneal fibroblasts and myofibroblasts for mechanistic studies. Gene therapy effects on corneal fibrosis and ocular safety were evaluated by slit-lamp microscope, stereo microscopes, quantitative real-time PCR, immunofluorescence, TUNEL, modified MacDonald-Shadduck scoring system, and Draize tests.
RESULTS. PEI2-GNP–mediated BMP7þHGF gene therapy significantly decreased corneal fibrosis in live rabbits in vivo (Fantes scale was 0.6 in BMP7þHGF-treated eyes compared to 3.3 in -therapy group; P < 0.001). Corneas that received BMP7þHGF demonstrated significantly reduced mRNA levels of profibrotic genes: a-SMA (3.2-fold; P < 0.01), fibronectin (2.3-fold, P < 0.01), collagen I (2.1-fold, P < 0.01), collagen III (1.6-fold, P < 0.01), and collagen IV (1.9-fold, P < 0.01) compared to the -therapy corneas. Furthermore, BMP7þHGF-treated corneas showed significantly fewer myofibroblasts compared to the -therapy controls (83%; P < 0.001). The PEI2-GNP introduced >104 gene copies per microgram DNA of BMP7 and HGF genes. The recombinant HGF rendered apoptosis in corneal myofibroblasts but not in fibroblasts. Localized topical BMP7þHGF therapy showed no ocular toxicity.
CONCLUSIONS. Localized topical BMP7þHGF gene therapy treats corneal fibrosis and restores transparency in vivo mitigating excessive healing and rendering selective apoptosis in myofibroblasts.
Recommended Citation
Gupta S, Fink MK, Ghosh A, et al. Novel combination BMP7 and HGF gene therapy instigates selective myofibroblast apoptosis and reduces corneal haze in vivo. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2018 Feb;59(2):1045–1057. doi:10.1167/iovs.17-23308
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The authors
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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
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Comments
This article was originally published in Investigative Ophthalmalogy & Visual Science, volume 59, issue 2, in 2018. DOI:10.1167/iovs.17-23308