:: Volume 11, Issue 3 (Int J Mol Cell Med 2022) ::
Int J Mol Cell Med 2022, 11(3): 180-196 Back to browse issues page
Improvement of Corneal Nerve Regeneration in Diabetic Rats Using Wharton's Jelly-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells and their Conditioned Medium
Pitra Ariesta Shinta Dewi 1, Ratna Sitompul Sitompul2 , Jeanne Adiwinata Pawitan3 , Aroem Naroeni4 , Radiana Dewayani Antarianto3
1- Doctoral Programme Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine Universitas Indonesia, Jakarta, Indonesia. , pitaariesta@yahoo.com
2- Department of Ophthalmology, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Indonesia, Jakarta, Indonesia.
3- Department of Histology, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Indonesia, Jakarta, Indonesia.
4- Stem Cell Medical Technology Integrated Service Unit, Dr. Cipto Mangunkusumo General Hospital, Faculty of Medicine Universitas Indonesia, Jakarta, Indonesia.
Abstract:   (1414 Views)

To investigate the efficacy of Wharton's jelly mesenchymal stem cells (WJSCs) and their conditioned medium (CM) for corneal nerve regeneration in rats with diabetic keratopathy. Streptozotocin (STZ)-induced male diabetic (DM) rats (250–300 g) were divided to four groups (n=7/group): Control, DM, DM with WJSCs (DM+WJ), and DM with CM treatment (DM+CM). DM+WJ and DM+CM group received WJSCs or CM, respectively, topically by eye drops. Corneal sensibility, corneal epithelial layer integrity, histology, expression of GAP-43 and TUBB3 on mRNA level and their immunohistochemical expression were examined after two weeks of treatment. There were changes in corneal sensibility and corneal integrity between normal control and diabetic groups with/without WJSC or CM injection. Total central corneal thickness was significantly higher in DM+CM (249.81 ± 43.85 μm) than in control (174.72 ± 44.12 μm, p=0.004) and DM groups (190.15 ± 9.63 μm, p=0.03). GAP-43 mRNA expression levels of DM+WJ and DM+CM groups were higher compared with DM and control groups. TUBB3 mRNA level was increased after CM (p=0.047), but not after WJSCs treatment (p=1.00). GAP-43 and TUBB3 immunohistochemical expression of nerve fibers along the epithelial layer significantly increased in DM+WJ and DM+CM compared with DM group. Our findings showed that WJSCs and their CM improved corneal nerve regeneration in rats with diabetic keratopathy.


 
Keywords: Stem cells, Wharton's jelly, conditioned medium, diabetic rats, GAP-43, TUBB3
Full-Text [PDF 957 kb]   (763 Downloads)    
Type of Study: Original Article | Subject: Stem Cell
Received: 2022/04/4 | Accepted: 2023/03/6 | Published: 2023/03/6



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