Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine whether platelet-rich plasma (PRP) has an effect on corneal stromal cells in a rat model of wound healing following corneal incision. Materials and Methods: The effect of PRP on corneal wound healing in vivo was investigated in a corneal incision wound model in rats. 40 rats were wounded by deep corneal incision, and treated with either topically administered PRP (20 rats) or sodium chloride (20 rats). At 4 h and 1, 3, and 5 days after incision, a-smooth muscle actin (a SMA), SMAD2 and SMAD3 expression and apoptosis in stromal cells were evaluated by immunohistochemistry, and IL-1b mRNA expression was evaluated by real time PCR. Results: PRP-treated corneas exhibited reduced stromal cell apoptosis at day 3 and day 5 (p = 0.038, and 50.001, respectively) relative to controls. Interleukin-1b mRNA expression, however, was unchanged in PRP-treated corneas relative to controls. Topical PRP treatment resulted in a higher proportion of aSMA-positive myofibroblasts recruited to the wound site relative to control corneas. PRP did not affect activation of SMAD2 but activation of SMAD3 was significantly reduced at day 1 (p = 0.001) and dramatically increased at day 5 (p = 0.032). Conclusions: PRP treatment resulted in suppressed stromal cell apoptosis followed by SMAD3 activation and a greater proportion of myofibroblasts present at the wound site. Suppression of stromal cell apoptosis after corneal wounding by use of a growth factor-rich formulation may lead to myofibroblast accumulation by modulation of the TGF-b pathway.
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