Transplantation of human corneal endothelial cells with decellularized extracellular matrix using a non-contact magnetic positioning controller in a rabbit model of corneal endothelial dysfunction

Abstract

Purpose : Corneal Endothelial Dysfunction (CED), caused by aging, trauma, or genetic disorders, leads to corneal edema, opacity, and vision impairment. Existing treatments for CED are limited to allogenic corneal transplantation, which is challenged by a shortage of donor corneas. We propose a novel method of transplanting corneal endothelial cells (CEC) using a magnetic body attached to a decellularized extracellular matrix (dECM) to create a tissue-engineered scaffold.

Methods : Human CECs were extracted from donor corneas and cultured. The dECM derived from porcine corneas was decellularized and magnetic bodies were attached to the dECM. The tissue-engineered scaffold, comprising a magnetic body and CECs, was delivered into the anterior chamber and manually positioned onto the cornea's center using a magnetic positioning controller. rabbit model of CED was generated through Descemet's membrane stripping. Observations were conducted up to 16 weeks, after which the rabbits were euthanized and the eyes harvested for histological examination.

Results : The CEC cultivation method was optimized, and the cultured cells were expanded through passages 1 to 4 to assess intergenerational differences. No bacterial or viral contamination was detected across all passages. CEC-scaffold transplantation reduced edema and improved corneal transparency, particularly pronounced in passage 2. Corneal thickness was also reduced, as observed through AC OCT. Histological examinations confirmed the presence of CEC markers (ZO-1, ATPase, and CD166).

Conclusions : We developed an innovative approach to manage CED by cultivating and transplanting CECs onto a dECM with attached magnetic bodies. Multiple generations of CECs were successfully cultivated and confirmed as contamination-free. In the rabbit CED model, our method improved corneal transparency and reduced edema. Further research on the benefits of this technique for CED patients is needed.

This abstract was presented at the 2024 ARVO Annual Meeting, held in Seattle, WA, May 5-9, 2024.