Type 2 immunity induced by bladder extracellular matrix enhances corneal wound healing.

Abstract

The avascular nature of cornea tissue limits its regenerative potential, which may lead to incomplete healing and formation of scars when damaged. Here, we applied micro- and ultrafine porcine urinary bladder matrix (UBM) particulate to promote type 2 immune responses in cornea wounds. Results demonstrated that UBM particulate substantially reduced corneal haze formation as compared to the saline-treated group. Flow cytometry and gene expression analysis showed that UBM particulate suppressed the differentiation of corneal stromal cells into α-smooth muscle actin-positive (αSMA⁺) myofibroblasts. UBM treatments up-regulated interleukin-4 (IL-4) produced primarily by eosinophils in the wounded corneas and CD4⁺ T cells in draining lymph nodes, suggesting a cross-talk between local and peripheral immunity. Gata1^-/- mice lacking eosinophils did not respond to UBM treatment and had impaired wound healing. In summary, stimulating type 2 immune responses in the wounded cornea can promote proregenerative environments that lead to improved wound healing for vision restoration.