Site-specific chronic inflammation and fibrosis in Fuchs endothelial corneal dystrophy (A01)

• Subject Area: Ophthalmology
• Term: since 2024
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 501530074

Fuchs endothelial corneal dystrophy (FECD) is the most common indication for corneal transplantation. Previous studies described the presence of a central subendothelial scar (=fibrillar layer) in advanced FECD eyes, and suggested chronic low-grade inflammation leading to this fibrotic remodeling. The proposed project will characterize in detail the inflammatory and fibrotic processes of the human FECD corneal endothelium using single nuclear RNA and proteome expression profiling. Newly established cell lines and Descemet membrane mimicry will be used to recapitulate the pathogenesis of FECD in vitro and to investigate anti-inflammatory and anti-fibrotic agents as novel therapeutic approaches to promote endothelial cell regeneration.

• DFG Programme: Collaborative Research Centres
• Subproject of: SFB 1607: Towards immunomodulatory and anti(lymph)angiogenic therapies for age-related blinding eye diseases
• Applicant Institution: Universität zu Köln
• Project Heads: Professor Dr. Björn Bachmann, since 7/2024; Professor Dr. Mario Magnus Goswin Matthaei, until 6/2024; Professorin Dr. Margarete Odenthal