Polymeric micelle gene delivery of bcl-xL via eye drop reduced corneal apoptosis following epithelial debridement.

Stromal keratocyte apoptosis triggered by epithelial injury is one mechanism of corneal disorders. A model of epithelial injury by epithelial debridement is established, and keratocyte apoptosis is evidenced by DNA fragmentation and cellular morphological changes in the anterior stroma underlying the injured epithelium. Delivery of plasmid (pCMV-bcl-x(L)-eGFP) encoding an anti-apoptotic gene, the bcl-x(L) with a nano-carrier, polymeric micelles (PM) via eye drop to cornea after epithelial debridement, the mRNA level of bcl-x(L) was significantly increased (2.2-fold, P<0.05) at 48 h and the eGFP mRNA was detected (4571.7 ± 1194.5 copies/μg total RNA). The bcl-x(L)-eGFP fusion protein was also detected in wounded cornea at 48 h after delivery, accompanying with decreased DNA fragmentation and lower caspase-3 activity (P<0.05). In conclusion, eye drop of pCMV-bcl-x(L)-eGFP/PM reduced corneal apoptosis following epithelial debridement.