Author/Authors :
Pirounides, Demetrios Department of Ophthalmology - Aristotle University of Thessaloniki -AHEPA University Hospital, Thessaloniki, Greece , Komnenou, Anastasia Faculty of Veterinary Medicine - School of Health Sciences - Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece , Papaioannou, Nikolaos Faculty of Veterinary Medicine - School of Health Sciences - Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece , Gounari, Eleni Medical School - Laboratory of Biological Chemistry - Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece , Stylianaki, Ioanna Faculty of Veterinary Medicine - School of Health Sciences - Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece , Alexandridis, Alexandros Department of Ophthalmology - Aristotle University of Thessaloniki -AHEPA University Hospital, Thessaloniki, Greece , Chranioti, Angeliki Department of Ophthalmology - General Hospital of Karditsa, Karditsa, Greece , Kofidou, Evangelia Faculty of Veterinary Medicine - School of Health Sciences - Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece , Koliakos, Georgios Medical School - Laboratory of Biological Chemistry - Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece , Karampatakis, Vasileios Faculty of Health Sciences - School of Medicine - Laboratory of Experimental Ophthalmology - Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki
Abstract :
The purpose was to study the anti-angiogenic effect of adipose-derived mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (ADMSCs) on experimentally induced corneal injuries. Corneal neovascularization (NV) was induced by incising and subsequently suturing the corneal surface in 32 New Zealand rabbits. Following suturing, the rabbits were randomly allocated into 2 groups, and received either phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) (control) or ADMSCs, both administered via three different routes. Digital images of the cornea were obtained two weeks post-incision to measure the area of neovascularized cornea. Tumor necrosis factor (TNF) was immunohistochemically assessed in the both groups. The corneal tissue was evaluated for vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). The extent of corneal NV in all eyes was assessed photographically by an independent observer. Fourteen days after the incisions, the degree of corneal NV was substantially decreased in the ADMSC-treated group (1.87 ± 0.9 mm2, 1.4 % ± 0.67 % of corneal surface) compared to the control and PBS-treated group (4.66 ± 1.74 mm2, 3.51 % ± 1.31 %, p < 0.001). ADMSCs significantly decreased injury-induced corneal NV in New Zealand rabbits two weeks post-treatment. This strategy has potential for use in the control of corneal NV in vivo.
Keywords :
Adipose-derived Mesenchymal Stromal/stem Cells , Corneal Neovascularization , Anti-angiogenetic Properties , Suture-induced Corneal Neovascularization , Senescent Stem Cells
