Affiliations 

  • 1 Department of Anatomy, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Centre, Bandar Tun Razak, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; Discipline of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Jalan Hospital, Selangor, Malaysia
  • 2 Department of Anatomy, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Centre, Bandar Tun Razak, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
  • 3 Department of Ophthalmology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Centre
  • 4 Department of Physiology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Centre
Wounds, 2017 Nov;29(11):327-332.
PMID: 28678731

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to investigate the potential bene ts of Gelam honey (GH) in promoting proliferation of ex vivo cor- neal epithelial cells (CECs) and its effects on the phenotypical features.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Corneal epithelial cells were isolated from the corneas of rabbits (n = 6). The optimal dose of GH for CEC proliferation in both basal medium (BM) and cornea medium (CM) was determined via MTT (3-[4, 5-dimethyl thiazolyl-2]-2, 5-diphenyl tetrazolium bro- mide) assay. Morphology, gene and protein expressions, and cell cycle analysis of CECs were evaluated via phase contrast microscopy, real- time polymerase chain reaction, immunocytochemistry, and ow cytom- etry, respectively.

RESULTS: Corneal epithelial cells cultured in 0.0015% GH-supplemented media (BM + 0.0015% GH; CM + 0.0015% GH) demonstrated optimal proliferative capacity with normal polygonal- shaped morphology. Gelam honey potentiates cytokeratin 3 (CK3) gene expression in accordance with the cytoplasmic CK3 protein expression while retaining normal cell cycle of CECs.

CONCLUSION: Culture media treated with 0.0015% GH increased CEC proliferation while preserving its phenotypical features. This study demonstrated the potential devel- opment of GH-based topical treatment for super cial corneal injury.

* Title and MeSH Headings from MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.