Rajasagi NK, Reddy PBJ, Mulik S, Gjorstrup P, Rouse BT. Neuroprotectin D1 reduces the severity of herpes simplex virus-induced corneal immunopathology.
Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 2013;
54:6269-79. [PMID:
23942967 DOI:
10.1167/iovs.13-12152]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE
Neuroprotectin D1 (NPD1) is an anti-inflammatory and proresolving lipid mediator biosynthesized from the omega-3-polyunsaturated fatty acid docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). The purpose of this study is to test the therapeutic potential of NPD1 for the treatment of herpes simplex virus (HSV)-induced stromal keratitis (SK) using a mouse model.
METHODS
C57BL/6 mice were infected ocularly with HSV-1 strain RE. Infected animals were treated topically with methyl ester prodrug NPD1 (300 ng/eye, 5-μL drop). Development of SK lesions, infiltration of inflammatory cells into the cornea, and production of proinflammatory cytokines, chemokines, and angiogenic factors were compared to untreated animals using slit-lamp biomicroscopy, flow cytometry, ELISA, and quantitative PCR (qPCR).
RESULTS
Topical administration of NPD1 resulted in a significant reduction in the severity and incidence of SK, as well as the extent of corneal neovascularization in the NPD1-treated animals compared to their untreated counterparts. Infiltration of fewer neutrophils and pathogenic CD4⁺ T cells into the cornea, along with a lower number of cells that could be induced ex vivo to produce IFN-γ and IL-17, occurred with NPD1 treatment. Additionally, treatment with NPD1 diminished the production of proinflammatory cytokines, chemokines, and angiogenic factors, such as IL-6, CXCL1, CXCL-10, CCL-20, VEGF-A, MMP-2, and MMP-9 in the corneas of infected animals. Importantly, treatment with NPD1 increased the production of the anti-inflammatory cytokine, IL-10.
CONCLUSIONS
Our novel findings demonstrate that NPD1 treatment could represent a valuable therapeutic approach to control SK lesions.
Collapse