Eicosanoid modulation and epithelial wound healing kinetics of the alkali-burned cornea.

The cyclooxygenase and lipoxygenase enzyme systems can metabolize a number of C20 polyunsaturated fatty acids. Although arachidonic acid is the usual substrate for these pathways, the eicosanoid precursor pool can be nutritionally manipulated by supplementation with alternative precursors, often generating less active or down-regulatory metabolic products. Prefeeding with gamma-linolenic acid, eicosapentaenoic acid, or a combination of both failed to influence the lagphase, epithelial migration rate, or epithelial wound healing kinetics after either 1N or 4N NaOH alkali burning of the rabbit cornea. Initial epithelial wound healing probably does not involve eicosanoid-mediated processes. Essentially linear epithelial healing kinetics continued to closure without a late decrease in wound edge velocity.