5′ Adenosine monophosphate prevents collagen degradation in culture but does not prevent corneal ulceration

Alkali-burned rabbit corneas were treated topically with 5′ adenosine monophosphate (5′ AMP) in an attempt to prevent corneal ulceration. Drug treatment did not reduce the frequency or the severity of ulceration compared to treatment with an osmotically-matched saline control. Ulcerating corneas were cultured subsequently in control medium or in medium containing 5′ AMP. Corneas that had received saline in vivo produced high levels of collagenase activity and showed extensive explant degradation when cultured in control medium. When cultured in the presence of 5′ AMP, however, such corneas produced barely-detectable levels of collagenase, and explants were not apparently degraded. Corneas that had received 5′ AMP in vivo also produced high levels of collagenase activity and showed extensive explant degradation when cultured in control medium. When cultured in medium containing 5′ AMP, however, such corneas showed minimal degradation as evidenced by their appearance and by the very low hydroxyproline levels in the media. Significantly, media harvested from such cultures contained high levels of collagenase activity.