Notoginsenoside R1 alleviates blue light-induced corneal injury and wound healing delay by binding to and inhibiting TRIB1

Background: With the escalating use of digital devices, blue light (BL) exposure has emerged as a critical concern due to its potential to cause ocular damage. This study explores the protective effects of notoginsenoside R1 (NR1), a bioactive compound from Panax notoginseng (Burkill) F.H. Chen (Sanqi), against BL-induced corneal epithelial injury. Purpose: This research aims to investigate the protective effects of NR1 on BL-induced corneal injury and wound healing delay. Methods: Human corneal epithelial cells (hCECs) were pretreated with NR1 (0-50 μM) or N-acetylcysteine (NAC, 10 mM), then exposed to BL (570 μW/cm²) for 24 h. Cell viability, proliferation, migration, and ROS levels were assessed using various techniques. In mice, NR1 (25 μM and 50 μM) and NAC (0.3%) eye drops were administered during BL exposure. Corneal injury, healing rates, cell proliferation, migration, ROS, and inflammation were evaluated. RNA-sequencing, bioinformatics, and molecular binding validation identified tribbles homolog 1 (TRIB1) as a key molecule mitigating BL damage with NR1. Functional studies via gene silencing, overexpression, and pharmacological modulation further explored TRIB1’s role in BL exposure. Results: NR1 significantly reduced BL-induced inflammation, ROS production, and inhibited migration and proliferation in hCECs and murine corneas. It also alleviated BL-induced corneal injury and delayed healing in mice. NR1 inhibited TRIB1 upregulation, a marker of BL-induced injury and healing delay. Overexpression of TRIB1 negated NR1’s therapeutic effects on hCECs, while TRIB1 silencing mitigated functional impairment. In mice, increased Trib1 expression caused corneal injury and delayed healing, reversed by NR1 treatment. Conclusion: NR1 shows potential as a therapeutic agent by inhibiting TRIB1 elevation in response to BL exposure, providing a novel promising target for corneal injury and wound healing delay induced by BL, and offering a comprehensive strategy for clinical pharmacological intervention.