The effect of GelDex-S58 hydrogel on anti-conjunctival scarring after glaucoma filtration surgery

Excessive scarring is the main cause of surgical failure in glaucoma filtration surgery. S58 has been shown to have an excellent antifibrotic effect but its duration of action is not sufficient to achieve the desired anti-scarring effect. In this study, a light-cured bioadhesive hydrogel composed of GelMA and oxidized dextran (ODex), namely, GelDex, was used to load S58 (GelDex-S58). The microscopic morphology of GelDex-S58 appeared to be a porous structure with good slow-release properties and suitable degradation time. Cell Counting Kit-8, cell scratch and transwell assays showed that GelDex-S58 significantly reduced TGF-beta-induced fibroblast proliferation, increased migration and invasion ability. In in vivo studies, GelDex-S58 treatment prolonged follicular retention, reduced mean intraocular pressure, and significantly reduced collagen deposition and alpha-SMA expression levels in the conjunctival tissue compared to treatment with S58 alone. In conclusion, GelDex-S58 could reduce scar formation after glaucoma filtration surgery.

Automated summary

In this study, GelDex-S58, a light-cured bioadhesive hydrogel loaded with S58, was found to effectively reduce TGF-beta-induced fibroblast proliferation and improve cell migration and invasion ability. In vivo experiments also showed that GelDex-S58 treatment could reduce collagen deposition and intraocular pressure. Therefore, GelDex-S58 has the potential to reduce scar formation after glaucoma filtration surgery.