Laboratory Affiliated to Pasteur Italia-Fondazione Cenci Bolognetti, Department of Biochemical Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy.
College of Optometry, University of Houston, Houston, TX 77204-2020, USA.
Biomolecules. 2023 Jun 23;13(7):1028. doi: 10.3390/biom13071028.
The corneal epithelium is a layer in the anterior part of eye that contributes to light refraction onto the retina and to the ocular immune defense. Although an intact corneal epithelium is an excellent barrier against microbial pathogens and injuries, corneal abrasions can lead to devastating eye infections. Among them, -associated keratitis often results in severe deterioration of the corneal tissue and even blindness. Hence, the discovery of new drugs able not only to eradicate ocular infections, which are often resistant to antibiotics, but also to elicit corneal wound repair is highly demanded. Recently, we demonstrated the potent antipseudomonal activity of two peptides, Esc(1-21) and its diastereomer Esc(1-21)-1c. In this study, by means of a mouse model of keratitis and an in vivo corneal debridement wound, we discovered the efficacy of these peptides, particularly Esc(1-21)-1c, to cure keratitis and to promote corneal wound healing. This latter property was also supported by in vitro cell scratch and ELISA assays. Overall, the current study highlights Esc peptides as novel ophthalmic agents for treating corneal infection and injury, being able to display a dual function, antimicrobial and wound healing, rarely identified in a single peptide at the same micromolar concentration range.
角膜上皮是眼睛前部的一层，有助于将光线折射到视网膜上，并有助于眼部免疫防御。尽管完整的角膜上皮是抵抗微生物病原体和损伤的极佳屏障，但角膜擦伤可导致破坏性的眼部感染。其中，细菌性角膜炎常导致角膜组织严重恶化，甚至失明。因此，人们迫切需要发现不仅能够消除对抗生素耐药的眼部感染，而且还能引发角膜伤口修复的新药。最近，我们证明了两种肽，Esc(1-21)及其非对映异构体 Esc(1-21)-1c，对铜绿假单胞菌具有强大的抗假单胞菌活性。在这项研究中，通过角膜炎症的小鼠模型和体内角膜清创伤口，我们发现这些肽，特别是 Esc(1-21)-1c，能够治愈角膜炎并促进角膜伤口愈合。这一特性也得到了体外细胞划痕和 ELISA 检测的支持。总的来说，本研究强调了 Esc 肽作为治疗角膜感染和损伤的新型眼科药物的潜力，因为它们能够表现出抗菌和伤口愈合的双重功能，而这在同一微摩尔浓度范围内很少在单个肽中同时发现。
