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Updated: Jun 25, 2026
Recurrent Herpetic Stromal Keratitis in Mice, a Model for Studying Human HSK
Published on: December 18, 2012
A human apolipoprotein E mimetic peptide effectively inhibits HSV-1 TK-positive and TK-negative acute epithelial
Partha S Bhattacharjee1, Donna M Neumann, James M Hill
1Department of Ophthalmology, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, Lousiana, USA. pbhattach@xula.edu
Purpose:
To compare the antiviral effect of a peptide derived from human apolipoprotein E (1% apoEdp) with 1% trifluorothymidine against HSV-1 thymidine kinase (TK)-positive (HSV-1 McKrae) and with 3% foscarnet against HSV-1 TK-negative (KOS background) in the rabbit eye model of acute HSV-1 epithelial keratitis.
Materials And Methods:
Topical treatment began three days post-infection and continued for five days. Rabbits were treated 5 times per day with 1% apoEdp, 1% trifluorothymidine, 3% foscarnet, or PBS. Slit lamp examination was performed on a masked basis from post-infection days 3-10 to determine the severity of epithelial keratitis.
Results:
Topical treatment with 1% apoEdp was as effective as 1% trifluorothymidine against TK-positive and 3% foscarnet against TK-negative HSV-1 epithelial keratitis.
Conclusions:
ApoEdp 1% has efficacy for the topical treatment of TK-positive and TK-negative ocular herpes in the rabbit eye model. Thus, apoEdp has the potential to be used for treatment of keratitis caused by TK mutants.
