Fig. 3

Topical treatment on the corneal surface with nano-polymers loaded with siRel can effectively accelerate corneal wound healing. A–C Corneal epithelial wound healing model was established in normal mice. Nano-polymers loaded with siNC (n = 8) or siRel (n = 8) were topically applied to the corneal surface immediately after corneal epithelial scraping and at 12 h, 24 h, and 36 h hereafter. Corneal epithelial wounds were stained with fluorescein sodium and examined under a slit lamp microscope at the indicated time points (A). Statistical analysis was performed on the corneal epithelial defect area using Image J software (B). Corneal tissue extracts were prepared at 24 h after corneal epithelial scraping and the production of inflammatory cytokines as indicated in the figure was determined by ELISA (C). D–F A corneal epithelial wound healing model was established in diabetic mice. Nano-polymers loaded with control siRNA (n = 6) or siRel (n = 6) were topically applied to the corneal surface as described in A–C. Corneal epithelial wound staining (D), statistical analysis of corneal epithelial defect area (E), and detection of inflammatory cytokine production in corneal extracts (F) were then performed also as described in A–C. For A, C, D, and F, results shown are representative of two independent experiments. For B and E, results shown are combined from two independent experiments. *P<0.05, **P<0.01, ***P<0.001