Development of injectable hyaluronic acid-based hydrogels with antioxidant activity for the treatment of corneal neovascularization

Corneal neovascularization (CNV) is a condition that can severely adversely affect corneal transparency, culminating in visual disturbances and potential blindness. The need to manage this condition by frequently administering glucocorticoid eye drops can increase the risk of adverse side effects while reducing the odds that patients will comply with treatment regimens. Given that CNV often coincides with elevated levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, in this study a sunitinib-loaded injectable antioxidant hydrogel was developed using hyaluronic acid and tannic acid. This hydrogel was effectively able to eliminate free radicals including ABTS and DPPH, normalizing intracellular ROS levels while protecting against H2O2-induced apoptosis. This sunitinib-loaded hydrogel also effectively inhibited the proliferation and tube formation activity of endothelial cells, while also inhibiting oxidative stress, inflammatory activity, and CD31 expression, thereby effectively preserving corneal transparency, promoting more rapid epithelialization, and inhibiting alkali burn-induced CNV in vivo. This sunitinib-loaded hydrogel may thus hold great promise as a novel tool for treating CNV and corneal alkali burns.