Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-α affects corneal epithelial wound healing

This study aimed to determine the role of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α (PPARα) on corneal epithelial wound healing.

Ten-week-old PPARα knockout (PPARα^-/- ) mice and wild-type (WT) C57BL/6 mice and ex vivo cultured human corneal epithelial cells were used to investigate the function of PPARα on corneal epithelial wound healing. A two-millimeter diameter of the mice's central corneal epithelium was removed to induce corneal epithelial injury. The expression of PPARα during corneal epithelial wound healing was analyzed using immunofluorescent staining and quantitative RT-PCR. Histological and immunostaining techniques were used to evaluate corneal morphology, cell proliferation, and inflammatory response in WT and PPARα^-/- mice. PPARα agonist fenofibrate was used to determine its effect on corneal epithelial wound healing.

PPARα expression was found to significantly increase during corneal epithelial repair. PPARα^-/- mice exhibited delayed corneal epithelial wound healing compared to WT mice. PPARα^-/- mice displayed altered proliferative responses and distinct patterns of inflammatory infiltrates. Administration of fenofibrate to WT mice resulted in accelerated corneal epithelial repair and increased PPARα expression and cell proliferation. In vitro studies using human corneal epithelial cells further supported the impact of fenofibrate on promoting corneal epithelial cell wound healing.

PPARα is a regulator of corneal epithelial wound healing, and its absence leads to delayed repair processes in the corneal epithelium.