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Role of human corneal stroma‐derived mesenchymal‐like stem cells in immunity and wound healing
Author(s) -
VEREB Z,
ALBERT R,
MOE MC,
RAJNAVOLGYI E,
FESUS L,
BERTA A,
PETROVSKI G
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
acta ophthalmologica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.534
H-Index - 87
eISSN - 1755-3768
pISSN - 1755-375X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1755-3768.2012.t054.x
Subject(s) - mesenchymal stem cell , stromal cell , cd90 , wound healing , stem cell , stroma , ex vivo , bone marrow , immunology , cornea , haematopoiesis , biology , microbiology and biotechnology , pathology , medicine , in vivo , cd34 , immunohistochemistry , neuroscience
Purpose Mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) are the stromal cells of bone marrow, but they can be also found in other tissues including the cornea. Our goal was to isolate and cultivate human corneal stroma MSC‐like cells (CSMSCs) and study their role in immunity and wound healing. Methods Corneal buttons were harvested from cadavers (according to the Guidelines of the Helsinki Declaration). The isolated stromal cells were cultured ex vivo in human serum containing medium. Fluorescent microscopy, FACS and gene array analysis, as well as standardized in vitro differentiation assays were performed to investigate the stemness and phenotype of the CSMSCs. To investigate the immunosuppressive function of these cells, mitogen activated lymphocyte reaction and activation by pro‐inflammatory cytokines were used. Results According to the definition of the ISCT, the most important MSC markers (CD73, CD90 and CD105) were highly expressed on the surface of the CSMSCs with the absence of endothelial or hematopoietic cell markers. The CSMSCs were able to differentiate into fat, bone, cartilage tissues and close wounds within 24 hrs in vitro. They could suppress the proliferation of activated peripheral blood lymphocytes and secrete suppressive cytokines upon pro‐inflammatory activation. Conclusion We demonstrate a method for isolating and cultivating MSC‐like cells from human corneal stroma. The ex vivo data suggest that these cells may have a role in wound healing and immunological processes in the eye that can possibly be used in future treatments of ocular diseases and corneal stroma injuries.