Figure 2.

Dose-dependent effects of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) stimulated gene/protein 6 (TSG-6) in reducing corneal inflammation and opacity. Sterile inflammation was produced in corneas of Lewis rats by brief exposure to 100% ethanol followed by mechanical debridement of the cornea and limbal epithelium that removed the stem cells located in the limbus. (a) Representative corneal photographs on day 3 postinjury demonstrated that TSG-6 suppressed development of corneal opacity after chemical injury in a dose-dependent manner. (b) The anti-inflammatory effects of TSG-6 were dose-dependent as reflected in clinical grade of corneal opacity and myeloperoxidase (MPO) concentration as a semiquantitative assay of neutrophil infiltration. Values are mean ± SD; n = 3 for each group. (c) Gelatin zymography of corneas for pro-MMP-9 and active matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-9. (d) Total and active MMP-9 concentration in the cornea as assayed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Values are mean + SD; n = 5 for each group. Significant improvements were observed with dose of 0.002 µg but maximal effects were obtained with 2 µg. Reprinted with permission from National Academy of Sciences, USA.²⁸