The Effects of Nicergoline on Corneal Nerve Regeneration in Rat Corneas after Photorefractive Keratectomy

Abstract

Purpose: We wanted to investigate the effect of nicergoline on corneal nerve regeneration in rat corneas after photorefractive keratectomy (PRK).

Methods: Twenty Sprague–Dawley male rats were divided into two groups, the control group and the group that had been treated with nicergoline for 4 weeks. Corneal wound healing was evaluated by fluorescein staining after PRK. Immunofluorescent staining was performed in the rat corneas at 1 month after PRK with monoclonal antibodies for class III β-tubulin, calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), and substance P (SP). The stained nerve areas were calculated using an image-analysis program.

Results: The corneal wound healing rate was not significantly different between the nicergoline-treated rats and the control rats after PRK. At 1 month after PRK, the tubulin-positive, substance P-positive, and CGRP-positive nerve areas were significantly greater in the treatment group than those in the control group.

Conclusion: Nicergoline treatment increased the corneal nerve area in the rats after they had undergone PRK. Nicergoline may help patients who have a decreased corneal sense, such as those with neurotrophic keratopathy and those patients after they undergo refractive surgery.

KEYWORDS::

• Corneal nerve
• Nicergoline
• Rat
• Substance P
• Tubulin

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The authors thank Ji Hyoun Woo for technical expertise (Clinical Research Laboratory, Uijeongbu St. Mary’s Hospital, Korea).

Declaration of interest: This manuscript had no financial support. The authors report no conflict of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.