Matrix Metalloproteinases And Corneal Infectious Ulcers

Published 2023 - 41st Congress of the ESCRS

Reference: PO0649 | DOI: 10.82333/p2be-th47

Authors: Celia García-López* ¹ , Marina Rodriguez-Calvo-de-Mora ² , Carlos Rocha-de-Lossada ²

¹Department of Ophthalmology, Hospital Virgen de las Nieves,Granada,Spain, ²Department of Ophthalmology, Hospital Regional Universitario de Malaga,Malaga,Spain

During infectious keratitis the production of collagenolytic, inflammatory substances and incresed corneal metalloproteinases (MMPs) activity induce the degradation of corneal collagen and may cause post keratitis complications. This review focuses on the participation of MMPs and their inhibitors in infectious keratitis, their relationship and their role in stromal corneal destruction, remodeling and neovascularization.

MMPs are over-expressed in infectious keratitis and their activity are correlated with an excessive corneal destruction in microbial infections.

The structure of poster is based on the effect of anti-collagenase treatment in the different infectious keratitis: bacterial, fungal, viral and Acanthamoeba infection.

This study has been performed as literature review using PubMed platform. The search was performed using the terms “metalloproteinases” or “MMPs” or “corneal metalloproteinases” or “collagenase” or “corneal collagenases” in combination with search words such as “infectious keratitis”, “bacterial keratitis”, “viral keratitis”, “fungal keratitis” and “acanthamoeba keratitis”,“anti-collagenolytic” and “anti-collagenase treatment”.

MMPs are over-expressed in infectious keratitis and sustained in time with the consequent excessive corneal destruction in microbial infections. Nonspecific treatments such as tetracyclines, particularly doxycycline, or corticosteroids are used as adjuvants to antimicrobials to alleviate the disproportionate corneal degradation. Specific treatments focusing in the blockade of specific MMPs (Galardin, ZHAWOC7726), interfering with pro-MMPs activation (EDTA, ascorbic acid) or showing anti-cytokine effect (epigallocatechin-2-gallate, TRAM-34) have been reported in experimental studies with infectious keratitis. Other treatments show a direct action over corneal collagen structure such as corneal cross-linking treatment.

Although the use of these drugs has been shown in clinical studies, to be effective in controlling inflammation, especially in experimental ones, robust studies are still needed, especially clinical trials to demonstrate their potential effect as adjuvants in the management of infectious keratitis.