Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42289930›Full record

ArticleJournal of neuroscience research2026

DKK1 Targeting in Corneal Schwann Cells Rescues Axonal Regeneration and Mechanosensory Function After Corneal Injury.

Michael Li, Christian A Tallo, Mary Katherine Eddy, Aarush Kolli, Ricky Paramo, Paola Bargagna-Mohan, Royce Mohan

Abstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Journal of neuroscience research, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing 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

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
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.

Michael LiDepartment of Neuroscience, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, Connecticut, USA.
Christian A TalloDepartment of Neuroscience, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, Connecticut, USA.
Mary Katherine EddyDepartment of Neuroscience, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, Connecticut, USA.
Aarush KolliDepartment of Neuroscience, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, Connecticut, USA.
Ricky ParamoDepartment of Neuroscience, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, Connecticut, USA.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0599-1782
Paola Bargagna-MohanDepartment of Neuroscience, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, Connecticut, USA.
Royce MohanDepartment of Neuroscience, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, Connecticut, USA.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5102-0437

Funding

Corneal and Schwann cell mechanisms in vesicant injuryR01EY037664 · NEI · UNIVERSITY OF CONNECTICUT SCH OF MED/DNT · PI MOHAN, ROYCE · 2025 to 2025
$1.5M
Targeting Citrullination in Ocular Chemical InjuryR21EY032741 · NEI · UNIVERSITY OF CONNECTICUT SCH OF MED/DNT · PI MOHAN, ROYCE · 2021 to 2022
$608k
Defining Corneal Schwann cells in InjuryR21EY031113 · NEI · UNIVERSITY OF CONNECTICUT SCH OF MED/DNT · PI MOHAN, ROYCE · 2021 to 2022
$444k
Connecticut Lions Eye Research FoundationJohn A and Florence Mattern Solomon endowed chairNational Insititues of Health R01EY037664NEI NIH HHS R01 EY037664NEI NIH HHS R21 EY031113NEI NIH HHS R21 EY032741NIH HHS R21EY031113NIH HHS R21EY032741
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Stromal nerves regulate the sensory functions of the cornea, which can be disrupted by surgical, traumatic, or chemical injuries. Corneal Schwann cells (cSCs) ensheath axons to provide trophic support, but their role in axonal regeneration is still unexplored. We utilized the proteolipid protein 1-enhanced green fluorescent protein (Plp1-eGFP) reporter mice to investigate cSCs in two models of corneal nerve injury: the corneal micropocket injury (CMI) model, which causes focal stromal axonal severance, and acute exposure to nitrogen mustard (NM), which results in blunt damage across the entire cornea and limbal tissue. After CMI, the cSC network declined rapidly over 7 days post-injury (dpi) but recovered to levels of uninjured controls by 14 dpi with sprouting at both the injury and collateral areas. Axons remained significantly lower than cSCs, compromising mechanosensory functions. The NM injury led to a sustained cSC and axonal deficit with persistent mechanosensory loss through 14 dpi. Previously, we identified Dickkopf-related protein 1 (DKK1) as a novel candidate gene expressed in cSCs. In this study, we developed a micellar formulation RM4404 incorporating a small-molecule DKK1 inhibitor for topical application and tested the therapeutic potential of this drug in both injury models. Application of RM4404 during the cSC regenerative phase (7-14 dpi) enhanced cSC repair and significantly improved axonal regeneration with restoration of mechanosensory function in both injury paradigms. These findings identify a promising DKK1-targeted therapy that promotes cSC repair, enhances corneal nerve regeneration, and restores sensory function in models of corneal injury.

Indexed as

AxonsCorneaCorneal InjuriesIntercellular Signaling Peptides and ProteinsMechanotransduction, CellularNerve RegenerationSchwann CellsAnimalsDisease Models, AnimalGreen Fluorescent ProteinsMaleMiceMice, Inbred C57BLMice, TransgenicGreen Fluorescent ProteinsIntercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteinsaxonscorneal micropocket injurycorneal Schwann cellsDickkopf‐related protein 1mechanosensitivitynitrogen mustardproteolipid protein 1‐enhanced green fluorescent protein

Identifiers

PMID42289930
PMCPMC13266094

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.