Abstract
Purpose :
Corneal scarring is one of the leading causes of blindness in the world. In this study, we explored the therapeutic potential of corneal stromal stem cell (CSSC)-derived secretome in a mechanical debridement mouse model of corneal scarring.
Methods :
Secretome (Scr) from CSSC and corneal fibroblasts were collected by culturing cells in a basal medium devoid of serum and any growth factors for 48 hrs. Corneas of anesthetized C57BL/6 mice were injured using an AlgerBrush and treated with the secretome which was mixed with fibrinogen and thrombin to form fibrin gel. 36 animals in each group were used to compare the CSSC-Scr effect to the control groups as fibroblast-Scr, Sham, and normal controls. Corneas were analyzed with Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) at 0, 1, 3, 7, 10 and 13days for corneal thickness and light scatter indicating corneal scarring. Dissected corneas at day 3 and day 13 were analyzed with wholemount staining for neuronal markers β3-tubulin and Substance P and flow cytometry for immune markers. All data reported in the study were presented as mean ± SD. Statistical differences were determined using one-way analysis of variance to assess the significance of differences through multiple comparisons between all the groups. Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05.
Results :
The corneas treated with CSSC-Scr showed reduced corneal scar formation. The neuronal staining β3-tubulin at the site of injury indicates sensory neuron rescuing by CSSC-Scr. Flow cytometry analysis showed a trend in the decreased expression of immune markers CD11b+/GR1+, and CD11b+/F4/80+ in the CSSC-Scr group as compared to Sham and Fibro-Scr groups.
Conclusions :
This study provides insights into the properties of stem cell secretome which can promote corneal wound healing and prevent corneal scar formation through dampening of immune response and neuroprotection.
This abstract was presented at the 2023 ARVO Annual Meeting, held in New Orleans, LA, April 23-27, 2023.