MODERATION OF HERPETIC STROMAL KERATITIS BY BASIC FIBROBLAST GROWTH-FACTOR

The effect of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) on the evolution o f herpes simplex virus (HSV) infection in eyes of rabbits was investig ated. Rabbit eyes were infected with HSV-1 by a non-invasive inoculati on and treated for 7 days with an eye drop solution containing either bovine bFGF (50 ng; three times daily), or bFGF diluent as control. Th e treatment started 2 hr, 24 hr or 96 hr post-inoculation (p.i.). Foll ow-up of clinical disease parameters, such as conjunctivitis, epitheli al keratitis, stromal disease, corneal neovascularization and of viral isolation continued for 17 days. The most significant difference betw een bFGF and control treatments was observed in the development of str omal keratitis. The incidence of stromal disease in the bFGF treated g roup (2/16 eyes) was significantly lower than in the control group (11 /12 eyes) (P = 0.0001), when bFGF was administered 2 hr or 24 hr p.i. The severity of the disease developed in the bFGF treated eyes was als o milder than in the control eyes (determined by serial slit-lamp clin ical examinations and by histologic sections). Such effect was not dem onstrated if the treatment started 96 hr p.i. The same duration of vir al shedding was obtained with bFGF treated eyes (2 hr, 24 hr, or 96 hr p.i.) and control eyes. Neither HSV-l-infected, nor sham-inoculated b FGF-treated eyes demonstrated increased neovascularization of the corn ea, as compared with the corresponding vehicle-treated control eyes. T his study demonstrates that bFGF treatment (starting 2-24 hr p.i.) dec reased the occurrence and severity of herpetic stromal keratitis, with out subsequent aggravation of corneal vascularization. This beneficial anti-inflammatory effect of bFGF may have future application in the t reatment of the most devastating stage of herpetic corneal infection. (C) 1996 Academic Press Limited