UV-B Induced Production of MMP-2 and MMP-9 in Human
Corneal Cells

I. KOZÁK, D. KLISENBAUER, T. JUHÁS

Received January 31, 2002
Accepted June 13, 2002

Summary
The purpose of this study was to determine the production of metalloproteinases (MMP) 2 and 9 following UV-B irradiation in human corneal epithelial cells and fibroblasts. Epithelial cells and fibroblasts were separated from human donor corneas and exposed to UV-B lamp irradiation for 20, 40, 80 and 120 s. Media samples were collected at 8, 24, 48 and 72 h and gelatinase A and B production was assayed by the ELISA test. Statistical significance of production was assessed by the paired t-test. Increased production of MMP-2 was found in human corneal fibroblasts in response to UV-B irradiation. A statistically significant production of MMP-2 was not observed in human corneal epithelial cells following UV-B exposure. We did not detect any increase in MMP-9 after irradiation in either epithelial cells or fibroblasts. MMP-2 is produced by the corneal fibroblasts in the acute phase after UV-B irradiation. MMP-9 is not released in vitro following UV-B irradiation damage and therefore does not directly participate in the pathophysiology of acute photokeratitis.

Key words
UV-B irradiation • Human corneal epithelial cells • Human corneal fibroblasts • MMP-2 production • MMP-9 production • Acute photokeratitis

Reprint requests
I. Kozák, M.D., Department of Ophthalmology, P.J. Šafárik University in Košice, Faculty of Medicine, Trieda SNP 1, 04066 Košice, Slovak Republic. E-mail: ikozak_2000@yahoo.com