Time: July. 21st, 2018
Publisher: JNU's News Center

Prof. Li Zhijie and his research team in JNU's School of Basic Medical Sciences has found that the autonomic nervous system plays an important role in healing corneal wounds and inflammation. Their research paper, titled The Mouse Autonomic Nervous System Modulates Inflammation and Epithelial Renewal after Corneal Abrasion Through Activation of Distinct Local Macrophages, was published in Mucosal Immunology (IF = 7.48, JCR Q1), a subjournal of Nature. Researcher Xue Yunxia is the first author, and Prof. Li, of the Institute of Ophthalmology and the International Ocular Surface Disease Collaborative Innovation Research Center, is the project leader.

This research was supported by JNU’s International Ocular Surface Disease Collaborative Innovation Research Center and the Ministry of Education’s Key Laboratory for Regeneration Medicine. It was also funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 81470603, 81770962 and 81700808) and the High-Level University Discipline Construction Project.

Abstract：
Inflammation and reepithelialization after corneal abrasion are critical for the rapid restoration of vision and the prevention of microbial infections. However, the endogenous regulatory mechanisms are not completely understood. Here we report that the manipulation of autonomic nervous system (ANS) regulates the inflammation and healing processes. The activation of sympathetic nerves inhibited reepithelialization after corneal abrasion but increased the influx of neutrophils and the release of inflammatory cytokines. Conversely, the activation of parasympathetic nerves promoted reepithelialization and inhibited the influx of neutrophils and the release of inflammatory cytokines. Furthermore, we observed that CD64+CCR2+ macrophages in the cornea preferentially expressed the β-2 adrenergic receptor (AR), whereas CD64+CCR2− macrophages preferentially expressed the α-7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (α7nAChR). After abrasion, the topical administration of a β2AR agonist further enhanced the expression of the proinflammatory genes in the CD64+CCR2+ cell subset sorted from injured corneas. In contrast, the topical administration of an α7nAChR agonist further enhanced the expression of the anti-inflammatory genes in the CD64+CCR2− subset. Thus crosstalk between the ANS and local macrophage populations is necessary for the progress of corneal wound repair. Manipulation of ANS inputs to the wounded cornea may represent an alternative approach to the treatment of impaired wound healing.

(From: The mouse autonomic nervous system modulates inflammation and epithelial renewal after corneal abrasion through the activation of distinct local macrophages)

Link to paper: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41385-018-0031-6