Hierarchical biomechanical characterisation of riboflavin-UVA crosslinking and decorin treatment in the porcine cornea

Bell, James ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8371-9851, Morgan, Siân, Shebanova, Olga, Evans, Sam ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3664-2569, Boote, Craig ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0348-6547, Terrill, Nick, Meek, Keith and Hayes, Sally ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8550-0108 2025. Hierarchical biomechanical characterisation of riboflavin-UVA crosslinking and decorin treatment in the porcine cornea. Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology 10.3389/fbioe.2025.1603679

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Abstract

We employed a combination of synchrotron X-ray scattering, biomechanical testing and analytical modelling to elucidate the hierarchical structural changes in the porcine corneal stroma caused by riboflavin/UVA crosslinking and decorin treatment. Riboflavin/UVA crosslinking stiffened corneas by approximately 60% while decorin treatment did not significantly affect the mechanical properties. Correlations between fibril elongation caused by applied tensile strain and bulk stiffness were used to approximate fibril stiffness, values for which were relatively similar for control and treatment groups, compared with the magnitude of difference in the bulk stiffness alone. This implied the bulk stiffening caused by crosslinking was not primarily due to increases in fibril stiffness. Instead, trends in bulk fibril reorientation and straightening/uncrimping imply the stiffening is attributable to enhanced interconnectivity of the fibrillar stroma, leading to greater fibril recruitment fraction. The techniques reported here are applicable to a wide range of tissues for the evaluation of new, existing and adjuvant therapies.

Item Type:	Article
Schools:	Schools > Engineering Schools > Optometry and Vision Sciences Schools > Physics and Astronomy
Publisher:	Frontiers Media
ISSN:	2296-4185
Date of First Compliant Deposit:	17 September 2025
Date of Acceptance:	29 August 2025
Last Modified:	18 Sep 2025 15:00
URI:	https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/181149

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