Feasibility study of lamellar keratoplasty in a murine model

Purpose: In contrast to penetrating keratoplasty (PK), the donor cornea in lamellar keratoplasty (LK) remains separated from the host aqueous humor. There is debate about relative merits of each approach, but experimental comparisons have never been performed in animal models. Therefore, the authors developed a murine LK model. Methods: For allogeneic PK and LK surgeries, corneas of C57BL/6 mice were transplanted to BALB/c mice, assessed by slit lamp, and scored for opacity, edema, and neovascularization up to 46 d post-transplantation. Additional PK or LK surgeries were performed for histological assessment. Results: Graft rejection rate was less in LK vs. PK (69.2 vs. 100%), as was neovascularization (84.6 vs. 100%). In LK, inflammatory cells infiltrated primarily the button; in PK, heavier infiltration was observed throughout the cornea. Conclusions: This study demonstrates the feasibility of LK in mice and presents data suggesting that the inflammatory response in LK differs from that in PK.