Change in the expression of genes associated with wound healing, including the nerve growth factor and the visual system homeobox 1, may contribute to increased susceptibility of KC corneas to injury.
In this study, we investigated alterations in the NGF pathway in keratoconus-affected corneas and found a total absence of the NGF-receptor TrkA (TrkA(NGFR)) expression and a decreased expression of NGF and p75(NTR).