POLYMER-PEPTIDE SYSTEMS FOR THE OCULAR SURFACE AND MEDICAL DEVICES
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Date
2016-05-06
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Johns Hopkins University
Abstract
Hyaluronic acid (HA) wetting solutions effectively lubricate the ocular surface and are used clinically for corneal epithelial wound healing and to treat dry eye disorders resulting from Sjögren syndrome and keratoconjunctivitis sicca. However, HA has a low eye residence time of less than 10 min owing to limited adhesion, which necessitates frequent instillation of HA-based eye drops. Conversely, more viscous artificial tears are known to blur vision and interfere with blinking. We therefore developed a polymer-peptide system based on a heterobifunctional HA-binding peptide (HABpep) polymer-peptide system that binds and retains HA, from tear fluid or exogenous application, for longer periods of time at the surface of the eye. The key is to anchor HABpep polymer-peptide system on either the ocular surface or on the surface of a contact lens. To target the ocular surface, the anchoring peptide targeted sialic acid-containing glycosylated transmembrane mucins, the most peripheral extracellular ocular epithelium protecting and lubricating surface, or the ocular tissue matrix enriched in collagen type I. For contact lenses, the anchoring peptide targeted dimethylsiloxane units on the surface.
The first part of this thesis will demonstrate that a polymer-peptide system utilizing HABpep can enhance the biological and physical benefits of HA at the ocular surface and potentially be more effective in treating dry eye than a standard HA eye drop. The latter part will discuss how modifying contact lens surfaces with a polymer-peptide system can also reduce dry eye irritation in contact lens users.
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Keywords
Hyaluronic acid, Lubrication, Polymers, Peptides