Therapeutic potential of human neural precursor cells in diabetic retinopathy—preclinical model

• Published in: European journal of public health Vol. 31; no. Supplement_2
• Main Authors: Saçaki, Claudia Sayuri, Mogharbel, Bassam Felipe, Stricker, Priscila Elias Ferreira, Dziedzic, Dilcele Silva Moreira, Irioda, Ana Carolina, Perussolo, Maiara Carolina, Ferreira, Fabiano Montiani, Moreno, Juan, Dornbusch, Peterson, Sato, Mário, Shiokawa, Naoye, de Noronha, Lucia, Galdino, Marianna Bacelar, Abdelwahid, Eltyeb, Franco, Célia Regina Cavichiolo, de Carvalho, Katherine Athayde Teixeira
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Oxford University Press 03-08-2021; Oxford Publishing Limited (England)
• Subjects: Animal models; Animals; Biopolymers; Cell therapy; Complications; Diabetes; Diabetes mellitus; Diabetic retinopathy; Electroretinograms; Electroretinography; Enucleation; Epithelium; Growth factors; Immunocytochemistry; Immunohistochemistry; Induction; Medical treatment; Mesenchymal stem cells; Neuroprotection; Neurospheres; Optical Coherence Tomography; Photoreceptors; Precursors; Public health; Regeneration; Retina; Retinal ganglion cells; Retinal pigment epithelium; Retinopathy; Stem cells; Streptozocin; Substrates; Therapy; diabetic retinopathy; mesenchymal stem cells; stem cell therapy; neural precursor cells
• ISSN: 1101-1262; 1464-360X
• DOI: 10.1093/eurpub/ckab120.078

Background
Considering the expressive number of individuals being diagnosed with diabetes worldwide, it is relevant to find medicines and treatments, in order to achieve diabetes complications, as diabetic retinopathy (DR) long-awaited regression and/or cure. The study aimed to evaluate cell therapy with human neural precursor cells (hNPCs) on induced diabetic retinopathy (DR) in Wistar rats.
Methods
Wharton's Jelly Mesenchymal stem cells (WJ-MSCs) were isolated, expanded, and seeded onto a biopolymer substrate without growth factors to develop neurospheres, then hNPCs were obtained and characterized by immunocytochemistry. The animals were divided into three groups; non-diabetic (ND) n = 4; diabetic without treatment (DM) n = 9; diabetic with cell therapy (DM + hNPCs) n = 9. Cells were transplanted by intravitreal injection (1 x 106 cel/µL) into each of Streptozotocin (STZ) induced diabetes rats. Evaluations by Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) and Electroretinography (ERG) were done before and after diabetes induction and post cell therapy. Four weeks after treatment, eye enucleation allowed histopathological and immunohistochemistry (IHC) analysis.
Results
hNPCs increased the number of retina ganglion cells, ameliorated the photoreceptor layer, and decreased the microvessel points, evidenced by ERG, OCT, histopathological, and IHC findings. The most relevant differences in morphological analysis (treated vs untreated), exhibit the retinal improvement in many layers, notably in the retinal pigment epithelium and photoreceptors.
Conclusions
hNPCs reduced DR progression, as demonstrated by a neuroprotective effect and promotion of retinal regeneration.