Human Adipose-Derived Stem Cells for the Treatment of Chemically Burned Rat Cornea: Preliminary Results. (April 2013)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Zeppieri, Marco; Salvetat, Maria Letizia; Beltrami, Antonio Paolo; Cesselli, Daniela; Bergamin, Natascha; Russo, Rossella; Cavaliere, Federica; Varano, Giuseppe Pasquale; Alcalde, Ignacio; Merayo, Jesús; Brusini, Paolo; Beltrami, Carlo Alberto; Parodi, Pier Camillo
• Is Part Of: Current eye research. Volume 38:Number 4(2013:Apr.)
• Page Start: 451
• Page End: 463
• Publication Date: 2013-04
• Subjects: Ophthalmology -- Periodicals; Eye -- Diseases -- Periodicals; Ophthalmology -- Periodicals; 573.88
• DOI: 10.3109/02713683.2012.763100
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0271-3683

Abstract

<abstract> <title>Abstract</title> <p> <italic>Purpose:</italic> Adipose-derived stem cells (ADSC) are multipotent, safe, non-immunogenic and can differentiate into functional keratocytes <italic>in situ</italic>. The topical use of ADSC derived from human processed lipoaspirate was investigated for treating injured rat cornea.</p> <p> <italic>Methods:</italic> A total of 19 rats were used. Six animals initially underwent corneal lesion experiments with 0.5 N NaOH (right eye) and 0.2 N (left). The 0.2 NaOH protocol was then used in 13 rats. All 26 eyes of 13 rats eyes received topical azythromycin bid for 3 d and divided into five treatment groups (<italic>n</italic> = 5 eyes/group), which included: control, stem cells, serum, stem + serum and adipose (raw human lipoaspirate). The four treatment groups received topical treatment three times daily for 3 d. Stem cells were isolated and harvested from human lipoaspirate. Topical eye drops were prepared daily with 1 × 10<sup>5</sup> cells/treatment. Fluorescein positive defect area and light microscope assessment was performed at 20, 28, 45, 50 and 74 h. Animals were sacrificed at 74 h for histological evaluation. Data were statistically analyzed for differences amongst groups.</p> <p> <italic>Results:</italic> The stem cell-treated eyes had significantly smaller epithelial defects at each time point compared to control- and adipose-treated eyes (<italic>p</italic> < 0.05). This group showed slightly better epithelium healing than the serum and combined group, yet not significantly different. Histology showed that stem cell-treated corneas had complete re-epithelization, with less inflammatory cells and limited fibroblast activation structure compared with the control eyes.</p> <p> <italic>Conclusions:</italic> Our preliminary results show that topical treatment with ADSC seems to improve corneal wound healing.</p> </abstract>