Inhibition of pterygium cell fibrosis by the Rho kinase inhibitor

Pterygium is an ocular disease in which the conjunctival tissue invades the cornea. When the pterygium tissue reaches the pupillary region, the visual function of the patient is affected. Currently, surgical removal is the only effective treatment. However, the recurrence rate of pterygium after surgery can be high. Pterygium is also a health disparity issue since it is more prevalent in the Hispanic and Latino American population. In this study, we determined if the Rho kinase inhibitor can be used to prevent pterygium recurrence since its anti-fibrosis effects have been reported in other cell and tissue types. We cultured primary pterygium cells from pterygium tissues from Hispanic and Latino American, African American, Caucasian, and Asian donors, and used those cells for viability assays, scratch assays, migration assays, and immunostaining of F-actin, fibronectin, collagen I and α smooth muscle actin. We found that the Rho kinase inhibitor Y27632 decreased cell viability, wound healing, cell migration, as well as the expression of extracellular matrix and myofibroblast markers in cultured pterygium cells. We believe that Rho kinase inhibitors are a potential post-surgical treatment to prevent pterygium recurrence.