Epigenetic Reprogramming Via Sodium Butyrate Induces Corneal Myofibroblast Dedifferentiation In Vitro and Inhibits Fibrosis In Vivo.

ABSTRACT:

Purpose

Abnormal corneal myofibroblast (CMF) differentiation and persistence in stroma after ocular trauma causes corneal fibrosis and impaired vision. This study tested whether epigenetic reprogramming via sodium butyrate (NaB), histone deacetylase inhibitor, could provoke CMF dedifferentiation into precursor/non-opaque corneal fibroblast/keratocyte (CSF) like cells using human in vitro and rabbit in vivo corneal fibrosis models.

Methods

Healthy human cadaver corneas generated CSFs were converted into CMFs by TGFβ1 (5ng/ml) and grown in -/+ NaB (5 mM) for 72 hours. Quantitative RT-PCR and immunofluorescence measured changes in profibrotic markers (alpha smooth muscle actin [αSMA], collagen-III [Col-III], fibronectin [FN]) and fibroblast marker (fibroblast-specific protein-1

SUBMITTER: Sood S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12663874 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature