Opsin 5 mediates violet light-accelerated wound healing in mammalian corneas

Summary: The cornea is the transparent tissue at the ocular surface that generates most of the refractive power of the eye. Due to its exposed location, the cornea is uniquely in danger of injury. Rapid and efficient healing is required for high-acuity vision. Here, we show that epithelial corneal w...

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Main Authors: Nicolás M. Díaz, Xizhang Sun, Russell N. Van Gelder, Richard A. Lang, Ethan D. Buhr
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-08-01
Series:Cell Reports
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2211124725008162
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author Nicolás M. Díaz
Xizhang Sun
Russell N. Van Gelder
Richard A. Lang
Ethan D. Buhr
author_facet Nicolás M. Díaz
Xizhang Sun
Russell N. Van Gelder
Richard A. Lang
Ethan D. Buhr
author_sort Nicolás M. Díaz
collection DOAJ
description Summary: The cornea is the transparent tissue at the ocular surface that generates most of the refractive power of the eye. Due to its exposed location, the cornea is uniquely in danger of injury. Rapid and efficient healing is required for high-acuity vision. Here, we show that epithelial corneal wounding induces Opn5, an opsin G-protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) sensitive to ultraviolet/violet light, at the cornea’s surface in both mice and primates. The expression of corneal Opn5 is coincident with the direct light sensitivity of multiple pathways, including circadian rhythms, damage-response genes, and immune modulators. The presence of a violet-light:dark cycle substantially accelerates epithelial wound closure both in vivo and ex vivo. Corneas lacking Opn5 have markedly impaired wound healing. Violet light also accelerates wound healing in non-human primate corneas and induces gene expression similar to mice. These results demonstrate that corneal wounding induces direct photosensitivity via Opn5, which accelerates wound healing in the cornea.
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issn 2211-1247
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publishDate 2025-08-01
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spelling doaj-art-be68e9768ee5431cbd6d3df957a49b442025-08-20T03:08:32ZengElsevierCell Reports2211-12472025-08-0144811604510.1016/j.celrep.2025.116045Opsin 5 mediates violet light-accelerated wound healing in mammalian corneasNicolás M. Díaz0Xizhang Sun1Russell N. Van Gelder2Richard A. Lang3Ethan D. Buhr4Department of Ophthalmology, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, USADepartment of Ophthalmology, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, USADepartment of Ophthalmology, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, USA; Department of Neurobiology & Biophysics and Laboratory Medicine & Pathology, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, USA; Roger and Angie Karalis Johnson Retina Center, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, USAScience of Light Center, Seattle, WA, USA; The Visual Systems Group, Abrahamson Pediatric Eye Institute, Division of Pediatric Ophthalmology, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA; Department of Ophthalmology, University of Cincinnati, College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USADepartment of Ophthalmology, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, USA; Roger and Angie Karalis Johnson Retina Center, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, USA; Corresponding authorSummary: The cornea is the transparent tissue at the ocular surface that generates most of the refractive power of the eye. Due to its exposed location, the cornea is uniquely in danger of injury. Rapid and efficient healing is required for high-acuity vision. Here, we show that epithelial corneal wounding induces Opn5, an opsin G-protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) sensitive to ultraviolet/violet light, at the cornea’s surface in both mice and primates. The expression of corneal Opn5 is coincident with the direct light sensitivity of multiple pathways, including circadian rhythms, damage-response genes, and immune modulators. The presence of a violet-light:dark cycle substantially accelerates epithelial wound closure both in vivo and ex vivo. Corneas lacking Opn5 have markedly impaired wound healing. Violet light also accelerates wound healing in non-human primate corneas and induces gene expression similar to mice. These results demonstrate that corneal wounding induces direct photosensitivity via Opn5, which accelerates wound healing in the cornea.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2211124725008162CP: Cell biology
spellingShingle Nicolás M. Díaz
Xizhang Sun
Russell N. Van Gelder
Richard A. Lang
Ethan D. Buhr
Opsin 5 mediates violet light-accelerated wound healing in mammalian corneas
Cell Reports
CP: Cell biology
title Opsin 5 mediates violet light-accelerated wound healing in mammalian corneas
title_full Opsin 5 mediates violet light-accelerated wound healing in mammalian corneas
title_fullStr Opsin 5 mediates violet light-accelerated wound healing in mammalian corneas
title_full_unstemmed Opsin 5 mediates violet light-accelerated wound healing in mammalian corneas
title_short Opsin 5 mediates violet light-accelerated wound healing in mammalian corneas
title_sort opsin 5 mediates violet light accelerated wound healing in mammalian corneas
topic CP: Cell biology
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2211124725008162
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AT russellnvangelder opsin5mediatesvioletlightacceleratedwoundhealinginmammaliancorneas
AT richardalang opsin5mediatesvioletlightacceleratedwoundhealinginmammaliancorneas
AT ethandbuhr opsin5mediatesvioletlightacceleratedwoundhealinginmammaliancorneas