Abstract
Purpose: :
Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have been utilized to rescue disease phenotypes in genetic disorders, to direct healing after traumatic injury and to suppress the immune response in a variety of autoimmune disorders. We have demonstrated that corneal UMSC (umbilical mesenchymal stem cells, UMSC) transplantation assume the keratocyte phenotypes and rescues the cloudy, thin cornea stroma of lumican knockout (Lum-/-) mice. Present studies examined the possibility, whether UMSC could differentiate and assume corneal endothelial cells phenotypes.
Methods: :
Corneas of C57BL/6J wild type mice were subjected to alkali burn with 2 mm filter disc soaked in 0.1 N NaOH for 60". Twenty four hours after alkali-burn, 104 UMSC cells pre-labeled with DiI(red fluorescence) were injected into injured corneal stroma and/or anterior chamber of experimental mice. At various intervals, the experimental mice were examined by in vivo confocal microscope with HRTII corneal module. The specimens collected were analyzed by immunohistochemistry with inflammatory cell markers, ZO1, etc.
Results: :
Our results of immunofluorescence staining showed that intrastromal UMSC transplantation suppressed host inflammation of alkali-burned corneas and allowed the alkali-burned corneas to regain transparency. UMSC transplanted into the anterior chamber prevented the formation retro-corneal membrane caused by alkali burn. The transplanted UMSC attached to posterior portion of the injured corneas and assumed a hexagonal cell shape and were positive for ZO1.
Conclusions: :
Our studies suggest that suppression of inflammation is beneficial for the regeneration of transparent corneas. However, the molecular and molecular mechanisms of suppression of host inflammation by UMSC remain unknown.
Keywords: wound healing • cornea: endothelium • inflammation