Contact Lens Wear Alters Transcriptional Responses to Pseudomonas aeruginosa in Both the Corneal Epithelium and the Bacteria.

ABSTRACT:

Purpose

Healthy corneas resist colonization by virtually all microbes, yet contact lens wear can predispose the cornea to sight-threatening infection with Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Here, we explored how lens wear changes corneal epithelium transcriptional responses to P. aeruginosa and its impact on bacterial gene expression.

Methods

Male and female C57BL/6J mice were fitted with a contact lens on one eye for 24 hours. After lens removal, corneas were immediately challenged for 4 hours with P. aeruginosa. A separate group of naïve mice was similarly challenged with bacteria. Bacteria-challenged eyes were compared to uninoculated naïve controls, as was lens wear alone. Total RNA sequencing determined corneal epithelium and bacterial gene expression.

Results

Prior lens we

SUBMITTER: Kumar NG 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11817980 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature