Purpose  

To determine whether transient gene transfer and expression of the intracellular antagonist of transforming growth factor β (TGF-β), Smad7, to corneal endothelial cells decreases corneal endothelial cell damage after penetrating keratoplasty in a rabbit model.

Methods  

Rabbit corneas were transfected ex vivo with replication-deficient adenoviruses encoding Flagtagged Smad7, Flag-tagged Smad3, or LacZ (termed AdCMV-Smad7, AdCMV-Smad3, AdCMV-LacZ) and then transplanted to normal rabbits. Expression of the exogenous Smads and phosphorylation of endogenous Smad2 in the transplanted corneal endothelium were examined by immunoblotting and immunohistochemistry with anti-Flag or anti-phosphorylated Smad2 antibodies. Cellular density and morphological changes in the corneal endothelium of the transplanted cornea were evaluated by scanning electron microscopy after transplantation of the Smad-transfected corneas.

Results  

Transplanted AdCMV-Smad7-transfected corneas significantly inhibited the decrease in cellular density and accelerated wound healing at the host-graft junction when compared with transplanted AdCMV-LacZ-transfected corneas. Transplanted AdCMV-Smad3-transfected corneas showed decreased cellular density and delayed wound healing at the host-graft junction.

Conclusions  

Ex vivo gene transfer of Smad7 to corneal endothelial cells inhibits the decrease in cellular density and accelerates wound healing after penetrating keratoplasty in rabbits. Thus, modulation of Smad7 expression in corneal endothelial cells may decrease corneal endothelial cell damage after penetrating keratoplasty.