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Effects of Pentadecapeptide BPC 157 on Experimental Rat Model of Dry Eye
Author(s) -
Kralj Tamara,
Kokot Antonio,
Kasnik Katarina,
Drmic Domagoj,
Zlatar Mirna,
Seiwerth Sven,
Sikiric Predrag
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.31.1_supplement.993.3
Subject(s) - medicine , ophthalmology , mydriasis , cornea , atropine , lacrimal gland , anesthesia , pathology
Aim We hypothesize the stable gastric pentadecapeptide BPC 157 as a therapy of dry eye syndrome in rats. BPC 157 already cures ocular tissues. BPC 157 eye drops (ug‐ or ng‐regimen) rescued total debridement of corneal epithelium (Coll Antropol 2005;29(1):321–5), successfully closed perforating corneal incisions in rats (Exp Eye Res 2015;136:9–15), counteracted particular NO‐specific parallel miotic effect of L‐NAME and L‐arginine and atropine‐induced mydriasis in rats and guinea pigs (Eur J Pharmacol 2016;771:211–9). In addition, BPC 157 counteracts various ulcerative lesions in skin and gastrointestinal tract, and BPC 157/NO‐relationship is established in various experimental models and species (Curr Pharm Des 2014;20(7):1126–35), providing that it would counteract the damaging effects of lacrimal gland extirpation, and dry eye syndrome. Dry eye syndrome is a relatively common disease with multifactorial causes, which may cause simptoms variating from discomfort to blindness. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of BPC 157 on the rat dry eye model. Methods We used male Albino Wistar rats, 200g, randomly divided. After application of Ketmine‐HCl 50–60 mg/kg + Xylazine‐HCl 5–10 mg/kg, Tetrakain 0,5% drops, left extraorbital lacrimal gland was isolated from surrounding tissues and surgically removed. Rats received stable gastric pentadecapeptide BPC 157 (Diagen, Slovenia) topically (5 drops (2 μg/ml)) or an equivolume of destilled water (controls). Corneal defects were analyzed with microcamera observation using blue light after 0.5% fluorescein eye drop instillation. These examinations were performed in both treated and control eyes at baseline and on weeks 1, 2 and 4. Results Pentadecapeptide BPC 157 administered topically significantly reduced clinical signs of dry eye by decreasing corneal defect in all treated groups ( Figure 1), while in control groups corneal defect persisted ( Figure 2) Conclusion BPC 157 was originally an anti‐ulcer peptide used in trials for ulcerative colitis and now is in trials for the treatment of multiple sclerosis (Curr Pharm Des 2014;20(7):1126–35). Now, we demonstrated that pentadecapeptide BPC 157 counteracts dry eye lesions in rats. Support or Funding Information Univerity of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia (Grant number BM099)