Bioactive self-assembled peptide nanofibers for corneal stroma regeneration

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Ophthalmology
• Regenerative Medicine

Background:

• Corneal stroma defects from trauma or disease impair vision.
• Effective corneal regeneration therapies are crucial.
• Existing treatments have limitations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and evaluate a bioactive peptide nanofiber scaffold for corneal stroma regeneration.
• To investigate the potential of laminin- and fibronectin-mimetic nanofibers.
• To assess the scaffold's efficacy in a rabbit corneal injury model.

Main Methods:

• Self-assembling peptide amphiphiles with laminin and fibronectin sequences were synthesized.
• Human corneal keratocyte cells were cultured on the peptide nanofibers.
• The in vitro and in vivo effects on cell behavior and corneal regeneration were analyzed.
• Rabbit corneas with induced defects were treated with the laminin-mimetic nanofibers.

Main Results:

• Laminin-mimetic peptide nanofibers supported human corneal keratocyte morphology and proliferation.
• Cells on laminin-mimetic nanofibers showed enhanced proliferation compared to fibronectin-mimetic nanofibers.
• In vivo, laminin-mimetic nanofibers promoted keratocyte migration and corneal stroma regeneration in rabbits.

Conclusions:

• Laminin-mimetic peptide nanofibers serve as a promising synthetic scaffold for corneal regeneration.
• The injectable nature of the scaffold offers a potential therapeutic advantage.
• This system holds potential for treating corneal stromal defects.