Abstract
Purpose :
The global shortage of cadaveric donors’ corneas (CDCs) requires alternative therapies to fulfil the requests. Lack of outcome consistency and other implications reflect the inefficiency of the existing alternative therapies such as the amniotic membrane (AM) to fully substitute the CDCs. We hypothesized that a controlled and established adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cell (hASCs) growth environment can generate solid corneal-like tissue constructs suitable for transplantation.
Methods :
hASCs were cultivated on smooth and nano-grooved surfaces until confluency. Subsequentially, an extracellular matrix (ECM) inducing medium was used up to one month. The constructs went through different analyses aimed to understand mechanical proprieties (Atomic force spectroscopy (AFM)), organisation (Confocal microscopy), and hydration (wet and dry weight). One-way ANOVA and student`s t-test were used for statistical analysis.
Results :
hASCs tissues grown on a nano-grooved surface showed cells anisotropy compared to a smooth surface (quantification and SD). Adjacent layers had different orientations (20±5°). AFM tests indicated better mechanical proprieties for constructs created on a nano-grooved surface compared to the control (3.015±0.42 MPa vs 2.361±0.484 MPa). Similar hydration values were obtained between growth conditions (91.6±0.49% vs 92.9±0.19%).
Conclusions :
Robust tissues with similar ECM markers to the AM were obtained successfully. The nano-grooved surface was able to generate an organised tissue with better mechanical characteristics. However, the constructs retained 4 times more water compared to the AM. Further analysis and tests are required before considering the constructs as an alternative therapy.
This abstract was presented at the 2023 ARVO Annual Meeting, held in New Orleans, LA, April 23-27, 2023.