The effect of bacteriochlorophyll derivative WST-D and near infrared light on the molecular and fibrillar architecture of the corneal stroma

Hayes, S. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8550-0108, Aldahlawi, N., Marcovich, A. L., Brekelmans, J., Goz, A., Scherz, A., Young, R. D., Bell, J. S. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8371-9851, O'Brart, D., Nuijts, R. M. M. A. and Meek, K. M. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9948-7538 2020. The effect of bacteriochlorophyll derivative WST-D and near infrared light on the molecular and fibrillar architecture of the corneal stroma. Scientific Reports 10 , 9836. 10.1038/s41598-020-66869-y

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Abstract

A cross-linking technique involving application of Bacteriochlorophyll Derivative WST-11 mixed with dextran (WST-D) to the epithelium-debrided cornea and illumination with Near Infrared (NIR), has been identified as a promising therapy for stiffening pathologically weakened corneas. To investigate its effect on corneal collagen architecture, x-ray scattering and electron microscopy data were collected from paired WST-D/NIR treated and untreated rabbit corneas. The treated eye received 2.5 mg/mL WST-D and was illuminated by a NIR diode laser (755 nm, 10 mW/cm2). An increase in corneal thickness (caused by corneal oedema) occurred at 1-day post-treatment but resolved in the majority of cases within 4 days. The epithelium was fully healed after 6–8 days. X-ray scattering revealed no difference in average collagen interfibrillar spacing, fibril diameter, D-periodicity or intermolecular spacing between treated and untreated specimens. Similarly, electron microscopy images of the anterior and posterior stroma in healed WST-D/NIR corneas and untreated controls revealed no obvious differences in collagen organisation or fibril diameter. As the size and organisation of stromal collagen is closely associated with the optical properties of the cornea, the absence of any large-scale changes following treatment confirms the potential of WST-D/NIR therapy as a means of safely stiffening the cornea.

Item Type:	Article
Date Type:	Publication
Status:	Published
Schools:	Optometry and Vision Sciences
Publisher:	Nature Publishing Group
ISSN:	2045-2322
Funders:	MRC
Date of First Compliant Deposit:	3 September 2020
Date of Acceptance:	28 May 2020
Last Modified:	23 Feb 2024 02:07
URI:	https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/134648

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