International Journal of Molecular Sciences Article Extracellular Matrix Deposition and Remodeling after Corneal Alkali Burn in Mice Kazadi N. Mutoji 1, Mingxia Sun 1 , Garrett Elliott 1, Isabel Y. Moreno 1 , Clare Hughes 2, Tarsis F. Gesteira 1,3 and Vivien J. Coulson-Thomas 1,* 1 College of Optometry, University of Houston, Houston, TX 77204, USA;
[email protected] (K.N.M.);
[email protected] (M.S.);
[email protected] (G.E.);
[email protected] (I.Y.M.);
[email protected] (T.F.G.) 2 School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff CF10 3AT, UK;
[email protected] 3 Optimvia, Batavia, OH 45103, USA * Correspondence:
[email protected] or
[email protected] Abstract: Corneal transparency relies on the precise arrangement and orientation of collagen fibrils, made of mostly Type I and V collagen fibrils and proteoglycans (PGs). PGs are essential for correct collagen fibrillogenesis and maintaining corneal homeostasis. We investigated the spatial and temporal distribution of glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) and PGs after a chemical injury. The chemical composition of chondroitin sulfate (CS)/dermatan sulfate (DS) and heparan sulfate (HS) were characterized in mouse corneas 5 and 14 days after alkali burn (AB), and compared to uninjured corneas. The expression profile and corneal distribution of CS/DSPGs and keratan sulfate (KS) PGs were also analyzed. We found a significant overall increase in CS after AB, with an increase in Citation: Mutoji, K.N.; Sun, M.; sulfated forms of CS and a decrease in lesser sulfated forms of CS. Expression of the CSPGs biglycan Elliott, G.; Moreno, I.Y.; Hughes, C.; and versican was increased after AB, while decorin expression was decreased.