Regenerative Ability of Magnetic Human Corneal Endothelial Cells

Abstract

Purpose : To evaluate the regenerative ability of magnetic human corneal endothelial cells using a rabbit model for corneal endothelial dysfunction.

Methods : New Zealand White female rabbits underwent central Descemet membrane or endothelium scraping, followed by intracameral injection of magnetic human corneal endothelial cells or vehicle control. To improve cell integration into the host endothelium, an external magnet was applied immediately after injection, and the animals were left facing down during recovery for 3 hours.
Central corneal thickness and intraocular pressure were measured daily for the first 3 postoperative days and weekly thereafter. Optical coherence tomography was used to detect the change of corneal thickness and structure over time. Animals were euthanized at 7, 14, 28, 90 postoperative days, and corneas were examined by histology and immunohistochemistry.

Results : Immediately after Descemet membrane or endothelium scraping, central corneal edema was observed in all animals. In the eyes treated with magnetic human corneal endothelial cells, the corneas became transparent earlier than controls without changes in intraocular pressure. Decrease in corneal thickness observed by pachymetry was confirmed by optical coherence tomography imaging. Donor human corneal endothelial cells were found in the stripped endothelium regions with histology and immunofluorescence methods, and more cells were observed when a magnet was used compared to gravity alone. No donor cells were detected in the iris or blocking the angle.

Conclusions : This study revealed that cell therapy using magnetic human corneal endothelial cells could be a safe treatment for corneal endothelial dysfunction.

This is an abstract that was submitted for the 2017 ARVO Annual Meeting, held in Baltimore, MD, May 7-11, 2017.