Qingjun Zhou

Shandong Eye Institute

Background Sleep deprivation (SD) is a common public health problem that contributes to various physiological disorders and increases the risk of ocular diseases. However, whether sleep loss can damage corneal endothelial function remains unclear. This study aimed to determine the effect and possible mechanism of SD on the corneal endothelium. Met...

Keratomycosis, caused by pathogenic fungi, is an intractable blinding eye disease. Corneal penetration is an essential requirement for conventional antifungal medications to address keratomycosis. Due to the distinctive anatomical and physiological structure of the cornea, the therapeutic efficacy is hampered by the inadequate penetration capacity....

The cornea and sclera are distinct adjacent tissues, yet their stromal cells originate from common neural crest cells (NCCs). Sclerocornea is a disease characterized by an indistinguishable boundary between the cornea and sclera. Previously, we identified a RAD21 mutation in a sclerocornea pedigree. Here, we investigated the impacts of RAD21 on NCC...

Purpose To evaluate VEGF-C–induced lymphoproliferation in conjunction with 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) antimetabolite treatment in a rabbit glaucoma filtration surgery (GFS) model. Methods Thirty-two rabbits underwent GFS and were assigned to four groups (n = 8 each) defined by subconjunctival drug treatment: (a) VEGF-C combined with 5-FU, (b) 5-FU, (c)...

Purpose: This study aims to elucidate the calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) mediation and primary mechanism of corneal sensory nerves on tear production of the lacrimal gland. Methods: Mouse corneal denervation models were constructed through surgical axotomy, pharmacologic treatment with capsaicin or resiniferatoxin, and Trpv1-Cre/DTR mice...

Purpose: The lacrimal gland (LG) is the main organ responsible for tear secretion and an important pathogenic site for dry eye disease (DED). This study aimed to comprehensively characterize LG cellular heterogeneity under normal and DED conditions using single-nucleus RNA sequencing (snRNA-seq). Methods: Single LG nuclei isolated from mice with...

Corneal endothelial cells (CECs) are crucial for the maintenance of corneal transparency and normal visual function. Corneal endothelial dysfunction can lead to corneal edema, opacity, and even blindness. Due to the limited proliferative capacity of human CECs and the global shortage of donor cornea, corneal endothelial regeneration and replacement...

Purpose To reveal the role of transient receptor potential cation subfamily M member 8 (TRPM8) channels in herpes simplex keratitis (HSK). Methods HSK models were established using TRPM8 knockout (TRPM8−/−) mice and their wild-type (WT) littermates. The infected corneas were graded and harvested to evaluate the mRNA levels of inflammatory factors...

Objective: Stem cell therapy is a promising strategy for the treatment of corneal endothelial dysfunction, and the need to find functional alternative seed cells of corneal endothelial cells (CECs) is urgent. Here, we determined the feasibility of using the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) as an equivalent substitute for the treatment of corneal e...

Macular corneal dystrophy (MCD) is a progressive, bilateral stromal dystrophic disease that arises from mutations in carbohydrate sulfotransferase 6 (CHST6). Corneal transplantation is the ultimate therapeutic solution for MCD patients. Unfortunately, postoperative recurrence remains a significant challenge. We conducted a retrospective review of a...

This prospective study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of decellularized porcine conjunctiva (DPC) in the management of severe symblepharon. Sixteen patients with severe symblepharon were enrolled in this study. After symblepharon lysis and Mitomycin C (MMC) application, tarsus defects were covered with residual autologous conjunctiva (AC), aut...

The repair of large‐diameter corneal stroma defects is a major clinical problem. Although some studies have attempted to use hydrogels to repair corneal damage, most of these hydrogels can only be used for focal stromal defects that are ≤3.5 mm in diameter due to poor hydrogel adhesion. Here, a photocurable adhesive hydrogel that mimics the extrace...

Purpose: Contact lens wear (CLW) is one of the leading risk factors for Pseudomonas aeruginosa keratitis (PAK). However, the intrinsic factors that contribute to the high susceptibility to keratitis during CLW remain to be elucidated. CLW over an extended period can elevate corneal norepinephrine (NE) concentration. In this study, we investigated...

Corneal endothelium is mostly sensitive to oxidative pressure and mitochondrial dysfunction. However, the oxidative-antioxidant mechanism of corneal endothelial cells (CECs) remains partially defined. Silent information regulator 1 (SIRT1) is a well-studied therapeutic target of oxidative damage. This study aimed to determine the SIRT1 expression i...

Dry eye syndrome is a common complication in diabetic patients with a prevalence of up to 54.3%. However, the pathogenic mechanisms underlying hyperglycemia-induced tear reduction and dry eye remain less understood. In the present study, we found that both norepinephrine (NE) and tyrosine hydroxylase levels were elevated in the lacrimal gland of di...

Diabetic keratopathy (DK), the diabetic complication in the cornea, is characterized by the delayed epithelial regeneration and sensory nerve degeneration. The involvement of limbal stem/progenitor cells (LSPCs) dysfunction has been reported, however the pathogenic mechanisms remain unclear. Here, we confirmed the dysfunction of LSPCs in diabetic m...

The corneal endothelium is the innermost monolayer of the cornea that maintains corneal transparency and thickness. However, adult human corneal endothelial cells (CECs) possess limited proliferative capacity, and injuries can only be repaired by migration and enlargement of resident cells. When corneal endothelial cell density is lower than the cr...

Purpose: To investigate the role of the sympathetic nervous system in corneal neovascularization (CNV) and to identify the downstream pathway involved in this regulation. Methods: Three types of CNV models were constructed with C57BL/6J mice, including the alkali burn model, suture model, and basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) corneal micropo...

Dry eye is a multifactorial disease that causes dryness, inflammation and damage of ocular surface. Subcutaneous injection of the muscarinic cholinergic antagonist scopolamine under desiccating stress reduces tear production and induces dry eye symptoms in mice. However, the expression profile and pathogenic changes of the lacrimal gland remain inc...

Purpose: Previously, we found norepinephrine (NE) could affect the corneal epithelial integrity, herein we investigated the feasibility and safety of NE serving as a chemical enhancer to promote corneal penetration of riboflavin during transepithelial corneal crosslinking (CXL). Methods: The dosage of NE that could promote riboflavin diffusion t...

Background and Purpose: Allograft rejection and corneal endothelial dysfunction are the two leading causes of corneal transplantation failure, but the underlying pathogenesis remains largely uncertain. Experimental Approaches: Using murine orthotopic corneal transplantation model, we analyzed the cellular senescence of allografts at early stage aft...

Purpose: To reveal the role of cold-sensing transient receptor potential melastatin 8 (TRPM8) channels in corneal epithelial wound healing. Methods: Cold sensitivity, tear production, corneal thickness, and corneal opacity assessments were used to evaluate the effect of Trpm8 knockout on the ocular surface. A corneal epithelial wounding model wa...

Scleras are mainly used for the treatment of glaucoma, eyelid damage, and scleral ulcers. Given that the sclera and cornea collectively constitute the complete external structure of the eyeball and both have the same tissue and cell origin, we attempted to identify scleral materials to treat lamellar and penetrating corneal injuries. Based on resea...

With the global prevalence of diabetes mellitus over recent decades, more patients suffered from various diabetic complications, including diabetic ocular surface diseases that may seriously affect the quality of life and even vision sight. The major diabetic ocular surface diseases include diabetic keratopathy and dry eye. Diabetic keratopathy is...

Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection is a severe acute suppurative ulcer that engulfs virtually the entire tissue in a short period and leads to devastating destruction. Antibiotic therapy is a common approach for the prophylaxis and treatment of P. aeruginosa infection. However, it is often associated with serious side effects, complications, and mult...

Corneal injectable hydrogels represent a promising alternative to alleviate donor shortage and simplify traditional surgeries. However, most hydrogels focus on repairing focal corneal defects (≤3.5 mm) and leave many clinical requirements unmet. Herein, a novel ion‐activated bioadhesive hydrogel (IonBAH) is designed and its long‐term performance of...

Keratoconus is a common ectatic corneal disorder in adolescents and young adults that can lead to progressive visual impairment or even legal blindness. Despite the high prevalence, its etiology is not fully understood. In this study, we performed single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-Seq) analysis on 39,214 cells from central corneas of patients with...

Background Mammalian lens regeneration holds great potential as a cataract therapy. However, the mechanism of mammalian lens regeneration is unclear, and the methods for optimization remain in question. Methods We developed an in vitro lens regeneration model using mouse capsular bag culture and improved the transparency of the regenerated lens us...

Purpose: Progressive corneal edema and endothelial cell loss represent the major corneal complications observed in diabetic patients after intraocular surgery. However, the underlying pathogenesis and potential treatment remain incompletely understood. Methods: We used streptozotocin-induced type 1 diabetic mice and db/db type 2 diabetic mice as...

The corneal endothelium is critical for maintaining corneal clarity by mediating hydration through barrier and pump functions. Progressive loss of corneal endothelial cells during aging has been associated with the development of Fuchs endothelial corneal dystrophy (FECD), one of the main causes of cornea-related vision loss. The mechanisms underly...

Diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) is the most common complication of diabetes, with several underlying pathophysiological mechanisms, some of which are still uncertain. The cornea is an avascular tissue and sensitive to hyperglycemia, resulting in several diabetic corneal complications including delayed epithelial wound healing, recurrent erosio...

Human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) hold great promise for the treatment of various human diseases. However, their therapeutic benefits and mechanisms for treating corneal endothelial dysfunction remain undefined. Here, we developed a therapeutic regimen consisting of the combination of hPSC-derived corneal endothelial precursors (CEPs) with nicot...

Diabetic keratopathy (DK) is an important diabetic complication at the ocular surface. Chronic low-grade inflammation mediated by the NLRP3 inflammasome promotes pathogenesis of diabetes and its complications. However, the effect of the NLRP3 inflammasome on DK pathogenesis remains elusive. Wild-type (WT) and Nlrp3 knockout (KO) C57 mice were used...

Background Topical application of β-blocker eye drops induces damage to the ocular surface in clinical. However, the mechanism involved remains incompletely understood. The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence and mechanism of β-blocker eye drops on corneal epithelial wound healing. Methods Corneal epithelial wound healing models...

Fuchs endothelial corneal dystrophy (FECD) is one of the main causes for corneal endothelial blindness, which is characterized by the progressive decline of corneal endothelial cells. Poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) was reported to be involved in cell death and apoptosis of several diseases. However, the role of PARP1 in the progression of FECD...

Hyperglycemia increases the risk of corneal endothelial dysfunction, resulting in damage to corneal endothelial structure and function. However, the effect and mechanism of hyperglycemia-induced corneal endothelial damage remain elusive. In this study, we demonstrated that hyperglycemia reduced the expression of pump-related protein Na⁺/K⁺ ATPase a...

The study aims to evaluate the effect of allogeneic cultivated limbal epithelial cell sheet transplantation (CLET) in reconstructing conjunctival sac for severe symblepharon after chemical and thermal burns. A retrospective, non-comparative case series. Thirty-six eyes (36 patients) underwent CLET for severe symblepharon and conjunctival sac stenos...

For a better understanding of diabetic angiopathy (DA), the potential biomarkers in lacrimal DA and its potential mechanism, we evaluated the morphological and hemodynamic alterations of lacrimal glands (LGs) in patients with type 2 diabetes and healthy counterparts by color Doppler flow imaging (CDFI). We further established a type 2 diabetic mice...

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a complex metabolic disorder. Long-term hyperglycemia may induce diabetic keratopathy (DK), which is mainly characterized by delayed corneal epithelial regeneration. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have been reported to play regulatory roles during tissue regeneration. However, the molecular mechanism by which miRNAs influence epitheli...

Purpose: Decreased trabecular meshwork (TM) cellularity has been implicated as a major reason for TM dysfunction and aqueous humor (AH) outflow abnormalities in primary open angle glaucoma. We previously found that transplantation of induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived TM cells can restore TM function and stimulate endogenous TM cell divi...

Introduction: Cell senescence plays a regulatory role in tissue fibrosis, and corneal scarring is usually more severe in the central cornea based on clinical observation. We attempted to explore the senescence difference between the central and peripheral cornea in an in vivo mouse model of suture-induced senescence and an in vitro model of senesce...

Purpose: To theoretically compare corneal displacement and the von Mises (VM) stress distribution of deep anterior lamellar keratoplasty (DALK) and penetrating keratoplasty (PK) for keratoconus (KC) and to evaluate the effects of residual stromal thickness (RST) and intraocular pressure (IOP) on postoperative corneal biomechanics. Methods: We pe...

Diabetes is a significant risk factor for meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD), but its mechanism is poorly understood. The main function of the meibomian glands (MGs) is to synthesize, store, and secrete lipids. In this study, we found that the amount of lipids in the meibomian acini in STZ-induced type 1 diabetic mice decreased, and the lipid drople...

Macular corneal dystrophy (MCD) is classified as corneal stromal dystrophy. In this study, we retrospectively reviewed the surgical outcomes of 118 MCD patients receiving surgical treatment in the past 30 years and found patients receiving penetrating keratoplasty had the lowest recurrence rate 13.75%, compared with 40.91% patients receiving deep a...

Vitamin D (VD) deficiency delays corneal wound healing in those with diabetes, which cannot be rescued with supplemental diet. Here, we employed topical calcitriol application to evaluate its efficiency in corneal wound healing and reinnervation in diabetic mice. Type 1 diabetic mice were topically administrated calcitriol, or subconjunctivally inj...

Purpose: Stem cell-based therapy has the potential to become one approach to regenerate the damaged trabecular meshwork (TM) in glaucoma. Co-culture of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) with human TM cells has been a successful approach to generate autologous TM resembling cells. However, the differentiated cells generated using this approach...

Purpose: The corneal limbus maintains the homeostasis, immune and angiogenic privilege of cornea. This study aimed to depict the landscape of human limbus tissues by single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq). Methods: Single cells of human limbus collected from donor corneas were performed scRNA-seq using 10x Genomics platform, followed by clusteri...

Fungal keratitis is a major threat to ocular morbidity and blindness. The therapeutic efficacy of eye drops against fungal keratitis is limited by their poor bioavailability, especially in patients with corneal stromal ulcers that lead to tissue defects. Therefore, intervention measures that can control fungal infection while promoting tissue regen...

Background The corneal endothelium maintains corneal hydration through the barrier and pump function, while its dysfunction may cause corneal edema and vision reduction. Considering its development from neural crest cells (NCCs), here we investigated the efficacy of the human induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC)-derived NCCs for corneal endothelia...

Dry eye and diabetic keratopathy represent the major diabetic complications in ocular surface. Here we found that diabetic mice exhibited the early onset of reduced tear secretion and lacrimal gland weight compared to the symptoms of diabetic keratopathy. Considering to the high bioenergetic needs in lacrimal gland and cornea, we hypothesized that...

Corneal endothelial dysfunction usually induces corneal haze and oedema, which seriously affect visual function. The main therapeutic strategy for this condition is corneal transplantation, but the use of this strategy is limited by the shortage of healthy donor corneas. Compared with corneal transplantation, drug intervention is less invasive and...

Objective Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) is an essential molecule participating in multiple physiological and pathophysiological processes. In diabetic cornea, the NAD⁺-consuming enzyme SIRT1 was down-regulated and contributed to the delayed wound healing. However, the impact of hyperglycemia on corneal NAD⁺ biosynthesis remained elusive....

To evaluate the midterm outcomes of penetrating keratoplasty (PK) following allogeneic cultivated limbal epithelial transplantation (CLET) for bilateral total limbal stem cell deficiency (LSCD)，ten patients (10 eyes) with bilateral LSCD were enrolled in this prospective noncomparative case series study. Each participant received a PK approximately...

Purpose To describe the corneal calcification of acellular porcine corneal stroma (APCS) following lamellar keratoplasty (LKP) and identify risk factors. Methods Two cases of APCS calcification were evaluated by slit‐lamp photography and anterior segment optical coherence tomography (AS‐OCT). von Kossa staining and scanning electron microscope/ene...

Aims: Corneal nerve fibers are derived from the ophthalmic division of the trigeminal ganglion (TG). Here, by sequencing of microRNAs (miRNAs) and messenger RNAs (mRNAs) from diabetic and normal TG tissues, we aimed to uncover potential miRNAs, mRNAs, and the network of their interactions involved in the pathogenesis of diabetic corneal neuropathy...

Corneal injury due to ocular trauma or infection is one of the most challenging vision impairing pathologies that exists. Many studies focus on the pro‐inflammatory and pro‐angiogenic effects of interleukin‐1β (IL‐1β) on corneal wound healing. However, the effect of IL‐1β on keratocyte phenotype and corneal repair, as well as the underlying mechani...

Purpose Hydrogels derived from decellularized tissues provide superior biocompatibility, tenability and tissue-specific extracellular matrix (ECM) components. Based on the preparation of decellularized porcine cornea (DPC), here we developed an injectable and transparent hydrogel for the regeneration of epithelium and stroma in focal corneal defect...

The insulin and Wnt signaling pathways are involved in cell proliferation, tissue homeostasis, and tumorigenesis. However, their interrelationship in the pathophysiological process of diabetic corneal injury remains unclear. In this study, the role of insulin in the diabetic cornea was investigated in vitro, using cultured TKE2 cells and trigeminal...

Background The sclera is one of the most commonly used repair materials in ophthalmic plastic surgery and is often used for supporting, wrapping, filling, and pressing during surgery. Although the sclera plays an irreplaceable role in ophthalmology applications, there are many restrictive factors, such as high costs and limited sources. Here, we re...

Acellular porcine corneal stroma (APCS) is a promising alternative to human donor cornea for lamellar keratoplasty (LKP). However, the detergents, enzymes and physical forces used during decellularization unavoidably alter the cornea's extracellular matrix composition and disrupt its ultrastructure, making it less mechanically stable and liable to...

Corneal endothelial dysfunction is a major cause of corneal blindness and is mainly treated by corneal transplantation. However, the global shortage of donor cornea hampers its application. Intracameral injection of cultured primary corneal endothelial cells (CECs) was recently confirmed in clinical trials. However, abnormal adhesion of the grafted...

The proinflammatory cytokines interleukin‐1β (IL‐1β) and tumor necrosis factor‐α (TNF‐α) are involved in the corneal inflammatory response and wound healing following corneal injuries. However, the mechanism by which proinflammatory cytokines modulate corneal epithelial wound healing remains unclear. In this study, we found that IL‐1β or TNF‐α was...

Tissue injury causes the secretion of stress hormone catecholamine and increases susceptibility to opportunistic infection. Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa) is an opportunistic pathogen that is a leading cause of microbial keratitis usually associated with ocular injury or contact lens wear. However, the effect of catecholamine on P. aerugino...

Leucine-rich α-2-glycoprotein-1 (LRG1) is involved in several pathophysiological processes, including angiogenesis, cutaneous wound repair and cancer metastasis. In this study, we investigated the potential role and mechanism of LRG1 in corneal re-epithelialisation and nerve regeneration in streptozotocin-induced diabetic mice. We found decreased l...

Mesencephalic astrocyte-derived neurotrophic factor (MANF) is a neurotrophic factor widely expressed in mammalian tissues, and it exerts critical protective effects on neurons and other cell types in various disease models, such as those for diabetes. However, to date, the expression and roles of MANF in the cornea, with or without diabetic keratop...

Purpose: Extended contact lens (CL) wear predisposes the wearer to Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection of the cornea, but the mechanism involved remains incompletely understood. The purpose of this study was to investigate the role of the stress hormone norepinephrine (NE) in the pathogenesis of CL-induced P. aeruginosa keratitis. Methods: A total...

DNase I has been reported to improve diabetic wound healing through the clearance of neutrophils extracellular traps (NETs) caused by neutrophil aggregation. However, the function of DNase I on diabetic corneal wound healing remains unclear. Here, we investigated the effect and mechanism of topical DNase I application on diabetic mouse corneal epit...

Excessive exposure of the eye to ultraviolet B light (UVB) leads to corneal edema and opacification because of the apoptosis of the corneal endothelium. Our previous study found that nicotinamide (NIC), the precursor of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD), could inhibit the endothelial-mesenchymal transition and accelerate healing the wound to...

Purpose: To investigate the contribution of phosphatase and tensin homologue (PTEN) on the delayed epithelial regeneration and impaired Akt activation in diabetic mice. Methods: The expression of PTEN on cornea was compared between normal and diabetic mice. The corneal epithelial and nerve regeneration rate was evaluated in diabetic mice after t...

The primary functions of the conjunctiva embody ocular surface protection and the maintenance of the tear film equilibrium. Severe conjunctival defects such as symblepharon may impair the integrity of ocular surface and cause loss of visual functions. Here we report the use of a decellularized porcine conjunctiva (DPC) for conjunctival reconstructi...

Corneal decellularization represents a promising alternative source of human donor with global shortage. Multiple methods have been developed for the preparation of decellularized porcine corneal stroma. However, most strategies relied on long-time treatment to facilitate the entry of detergents or nucleases, which may cause irreversible ultrastruc...

Purpose: To investigate the therapeutic effects of targeting signal transducer and activator of transcription-3 (STAT3) activation on the ocular surface damage of dry eye in mice. Methods: Adult Balb/C and C57BL/6 mice with benzalkonium chloride (BAC) treatment, lacrimal gland excision, and meibomian gland dysfunction were used as dry eye models...

Purpose: To investigate the presence and role of fibroblast senescence in the dynamic process of corneal wound healing involving stromal cell apoptosis, proliferation, and differentiation. Methods: An in vivo corneal wound healing model was performed using epithelial debridement in C57BL/6 mice. The corneas were stained using TUNEL, Ki67, and α-...

Purpose: To determine if trigeminal innervations of the corneal epithelium maintains its integrity and homeostasis through controlling the nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) content of this tissue. Methods: Corneal denervation of C57BL/6 mice was induced by squeezing the nerve bundles that derive from the trigeminal ganglion and was confirm...

Decellularization can reduce the immune barrier of xenotransplantation, but tissue swelling‐caused structural and functional damage remains unsolved, including corneal transparency loss after decellularization. Here, a protective decellularization strategy is developed for the preparation of decellularized porcine cornea (DPC), in which corneas are...

Purpose The purpose of this study was to compare the efficacy of allogeneic cultured limbal epithelial transplantation (ACLET) and cultivated oral mucosal epithelial transplantation (COMET) in treating total limbal stem cell deficiency (LSCD). Methods In this retrospective cohort study, 73 patients (76 eyes) with total LSCD, including 41 patients...

Significance Mirabegron as a β3-adrenoceptor agonist is a routinely prescribed drug for treating overactive bladder syndrome. However, the effect of this drug on off-targeted tissues and organs is largely unknown. In this study, we provide mechanistic insights on mirabegron-triggered atherosclerosis in causing potential cardiovascular and cerebrova...

Background: The role of tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) induced protein 8-like-2 (TIPE2) in Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PA) keratitis was explored. Methods: Eight-week-old TIPE2 knockout (TIPE2-/-) C57BL/6 mice and their wild-type littermates (WT) were used. Corneal disease was graded at 1, 2, and 3 days post-infection, and slit lamp, clinical score...

Corneal endothelial cells (CECs)maintain the clarity of the cornea through the barrier and pump function. Ex vivo culture or injury may cause corneal endothelial-mesenchymal transition (EnMT)and lead to loss of function. In this study, we explored the effects of nicotinamide (NIC)on the wound healing of rabbit corneal endothelium and the proliferat...

Purpose: To detect early growth of blood and lymphatic vessels in the mouse cornea and iris after penetrating keratoplasty. Methods: Penetrating keratoplasty was performed with C57BL/6 mice as donors and BALB/c mice as recipients. Graft transparency and neovascularization were examined by slit-lamp microscopy. Whole mounts of the cornea and iris...

Eye is a complex organ with a highly specialized tissue structure. The establishment of human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) has allowed the simulation of eye development in vitro. Most differentiation works of hPSC-derived ocular cells focus on a single, tissue-specific lineage, however, that faces difficulty in reflecting the complexity of eye de...

Corneal scarring is characterized by the improper deposition of extracellular matrix components and myofibroblast differentiation from keratocytes. The bromodomain-containing protein 4 (BRD4) inhibitor JQ1 has been shown to attenuate pathological fibrosis. The present study aimed to explore the potential therapeutic effect of JQ1 on mechanical inju...