Abstract
Purpose :
Application of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) has been reported as a promising treatment for wound healing by means of cell differentiation, cytokine, and vesicle secretion. Exosomes as a kind of exosomal vesicles have been identified as an important mediator that plays a major role in carrying out therapeutic functions via cell communication and modulating the molecular activities of recipient cells. This study investigated the effect of iPSCs-derived exosomes (iPSCs-Exos) on corneal epithelial wound healing.
Methods :
Prepared by an ultrafiltration method, iPSCs-Exos were then qualified with Nanoparticle tracking analysis, transmission electron microscopy and western blots. To indicate that the HCECs were capable to uptake Exos, we labeled iPSCs-Exos with Dil fluorescent dye for the intake experiments in vitro and in vivo. The effects of iPSCs-Exos on HCECs proliferation were testified by cell counting and scratch assays. The underlying mechanisms of HCECs proliferation could be correlated with the anti-apoptosis function and its promoting effect on cell cycle entry unveiled by flow cytometry and western blotting. Finally, iPSCs-Exos was prepared in a rat model of corneal epithelial wound healing by corneal fluorescein staining, anterior segment optical coherence tomography, and histological analysis.
Results :
In this study, iPSCs-Exos therapy accelerated wound healing by pro-proliferative effects on cornea epithelium in a rat corneal epithelial defect model. The anti-apoptosis and cell-cycle entry in HCECs underlay the promotion of HCECs migration and proliferation. Meanwhile, the proportion of apoptotic cells treated with iPSCs-Exos was reduced. Furthermore, we found iPSCs-Exos drove HCECs to enter S phase from G0/G1 phase.
Conclusions :
The present study demonstrated that iPSCs-Exos had a therapeutic effect on corneal epithelial wound healing. The therapeutic effect of iPSCs-Exos was based on the promotion of HCECs proliferation. Our findings may provide a novel potential therapeutic strategy for corneal epithelial wounds and even more ocular surface disease by using biomaterial iPSCs-Exos.
This is a 2020 ARVO Annual Meeting abstract.