Effects of fucoidan from Fucus vesiculosus on the morphology, ploidy and metabolism of corneal endothelium in rabbits

• Grant number: 17/02906-8
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: June 01, 2017
• End date: May 31, 2018
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Veterinary Medicine - Animal Clinics and Surgery
• Principal Investigator: José Luiz Laus
• Grantee: José Luiz Laus
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias (FCAV). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Jaboticabal. Jaboticabal , SP, Brazil
• Associated researchers: Marcela Aldrovani Rodrigues

Abstract

The cornea is the most important refractive element of the eye. The corneal tissue is transparent by the present features such as the absence of blood vessels in the epithelium, spacing and regular organization of stromal collagen fibers and the pump and barrier functions exerted by the endothelium. Endothelial lesions are an important indication to the corneal transplantation, once the corneal endothelial cells have limited proliferative capacity. However, transplants are complicated and expensive procedures, whose success depends directly of the donor-recipient biocompatilidade, preserving the donated cornea, the healthiness of donated and receiving corneas and inflammatory and immune response of the patient. Clinical treatment attempts have been studied, but no medical therapy has been approved for the clinic. The Veterinary Ophthalmology group from Unesp Jaboticabal developed a study about the effects of fucoidam, a polysaccharide extracted from seaweed, on ex vivo corneal epithelium cells, noting that it promotes cell proliferation and migration. Aiming to expand applications, the objective, with this proposal, is evaluate the effects of fucoidam on morphology, ploidy and endothelial metabolism of the healthy corneal and after cryo-injury induction. For this will use assessments by biomicroscopy, ultrasound pachymetry, specular microscopy, histopathology, immunohistochemistry, topochemistry and video image analysis to quantify the ploidy levels and transmission electron microscopy. (AU)