Evidence mapPaperPMID 40762539Full record

ArticleInvestigative ophthalmology & visual science2025

Exploring the Therapeutic Potential of Salivary Exosomes in Corneal Epithelial Wound Healing.

Wentao Liang, Li Huang, Joseph M Clayton, Sarah E Nicholas, Brenna S Hefley, Jian-Xing Ma, Dimitrios Karamichos

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Investigative ophthalmology & visual science, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
6citing papers in PubMed
field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

6 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Review
  2. Review
  3. Ferroptosis: A Novel Mechanism in Diabetic Keratopathy.Investigative ophthalmology & visual science · 2026
    Article
  4. Review
  5. Review
  6. Exosomes in corneal diseases: advances in diagnosis and therapy.Frontiers in cell and developmental biology · 2026
    Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Wentao LiangDepartment of Biochemistry, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, United States.
Li HuangAier Eye Hospital, Jinan University, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China.
Joseph M ClaytonDepartment of Biochemistry, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, United States.
Sarah E NicholasNorth Texas Eye Research Institute, University of North Texas Health Science Center, Fort Worth, Texas, United States.
Brenna S HefleyNorth Texas Eye Research Institute, University of North Texas Health Science Center, Fort Worth, Texas, United States.
Jian-Xing MaDepartment of Biochemistry, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, United States.
Dimitrios KaramichosNorth Texas Eye Research Institute, University of North Texas Health Science Center, Fort Worth, Texas, United States.

Funding

cGAS-STING signaling in diabetic retinopathyR01EY033330 · NEI · WAKE FOREST UNIVERSITY HEALTH SCIENCES · 2022 to 2025
$775k
A Novel Pathogenic Pathway for Diabetic KeratopathyR01EY028949 · NEI · UNIVERSITY OF NORTH TEXAS HLTH SCI CTR · 2024 to 2025
$758k
A new pathogenic mechanism for diabetic retinopathyR01EY019309 · WAKE FOREST UNIVERSITY HEALTH SCIENCES · 2025 to 2025
$474k
The Impact of Prolactin Induced Protein in Corneal Wound Healing and FibrosisR01EY035519 · UNIVERSITY OF NORTH TEXAS HLTH SCI CTR · 2025 to 2025
$465k
NEI NIH HHS R01 EY019309NEI NIH HHS R01 EY028949NEI NIH HHS R01 EY033330NEI NIH HHS R01 EY035519
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate the therapeutic potential of salivary exosomes (SEs) in corneal epithelial wound healing by assessing their effects on wound closure, cellular function, and molecular mechanisms in both in vivo and in vitro models. Methods: Corneal epithelial wounds were induced in C57BL/6J mice and treated with topical SEs (10 µg/eye) twice daily. Wound closure was monitored using fluorescein staining. In vitro, primary human corneal epithelial cells (HCECs) and human limbal epithelial cells (HLECs) were treated with SEs (0, 5, and 25 µg/mL) to assess migration, proliferation, and mitochondrial function. Western blot and immunohistochemistry were used to evaluate key molecular markers, including integrin α6, integrin β4, thrombospondin-1 (TSP1), and transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1). Results: SE treatment significantly accelerated corneal wound closure in vivo. In vitro, SEs enhanced HCEC and HLEC migration, proliferation, and mitochondrial function. SEs upregulated integrin α6, integrin β4, and TSP1 expression in both wounded corneas and cultured HCECs. TGF-β1 levels were transiently increased in exosome-treated corneas but returned to baseline as healing progressed. Mitochondrial stress assays revealed that SEs enhanced oxidative phosphorylation in HCECs and HLECs. Conclusions: SEs promote corneal epithelial wound healing by enhancing cellular migration, proliferation, and mitochondrial function while modulating key molecular pathways. These findings suggest that SEs represent a novel therapeutic strategy for corneal injury, warranting further investigation into their mechanisms and clinical applications.

Indexed as

Corneal InjuriesEpithelium, CornealExosomesSalivaWound HealingAnimalsBlotting, WesternCell MovementCell ProliferationCells, CulturedDisease Models, AnimalHumansMaleMiceMice, Inbred C57BLThrombospondin 1Thrombospondin 1Transforming Growth Factor beta1

Identifiers

PMID40762539
PMCPMC12338374

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.