Project: Role of bovine lactoferrin in corneal epithelial wound healing
Damage to the corneal epithelium can be caused by microbial, chemical, or physical insults, and delayed wound healing can leave the underlying stroma vulnerable to infection and ulceration which may result in vision loss. Therefore it is critical to repair corneal epithelial damage as rapidly as possible to maintain corneal epithelial integrity. Various exogenous growth factors, cytokines and matrix proteins have been used to treat corneal epithelial wounds. However, the treatments have not been found to be very effective. Therefore, development of novel therapies for corneal epithelial defects is of great clinical importance to speed healing and prevent vision loss.
Ushasree Pattamatta is investigating the ability of bovine lactoferrin to promote corneal epithelial wound healing. Lactoferrin, a 80-kDa glycoprotein found in different body secretions like saliva and tears, is a multifunctional protein with important properties such as dampening inflammation, modulating the immune response and being anti-bacterial. Various studies have shown that lactoferrin can protect rat corneal epithelial cells from damage by ultraviolet-B irradiation and that recombinant human lactoferrin can be effective in the treatment of diabetic ulcers. These findings suggest that lactoferrin may be effective in promoting corneal epithelial wound healing and the administration of bovine lactoferrin might have clinical applications in the treatment of persistent corneal epithelial defects.
The objective of this study is to examine the role of bovine lactoferrin in promoting corneal epithelial wound healing in vitro and in an animal model. This study will also help to provide an understanding of the underlying mechanisms that mediate migration of the corneal epithelium over the wound surface. This research will help to develop novel therapies for corneal wounds. Bovine lactoferrin could be potentially used as a wound healing promoter in the form of eye drops to treat persistent corneal epithelial defects caused by infections, trauma, dry eye or ophthalmic surgery.
Ushasree Pattamatta received her Master of Science in Biotechnology from the University of New South Wales in 2003, and began her PhD at the Vision CRC in 2005.
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