ADAM17 Inhibitors Attenuate Corneal Epithelial Detachment Induced by Mustard Exposure

Purpose: Sulfur mustard, nitrogen mustard (NM), and 2-chloroethyl ethyl sulfide all cause corneal injury with epithelial–stromal separation, differing only by degree. Injury can resolve in a few weeks or develop into chronic corneal problems. These vesicants induce microbullae at the epithelial–stromal junction, which is partially caused by cleavage of transmembranous hemidesmosomal collagen XVII, a component anchoring the epithelium to the...