Quiescent keratocytes fail to repair MMC induced DNA damage leading to the long-term inhibition of myofibroblast differentiation and wound healing.

Abstract

MMC induces DNA damage to quiescent corneal keratocytes, which remains unrepaired, resulting in abnormal cell replication and gene transcription that leads to long-term effects on corneal repair. Overall these findings suggest that there may be long-term and perhaps permanent consequences to the application of MMC as an anti-fibrotic therapy.