Adipose stem cells and their paracrine factors are therapeutic for early retinal complications of diabetes in the Ins2^Akita mouse.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Early-stage diabetic retinopathy (DR) is characterized by neurovascular defects. In this study, we hypothesized that human adipose-derived stem cells (ASCs) positive for the pericyte marker CD140b, or their secreted paracrine factors, therapeutically rescue early-stage DR features in an Ins2^Akita mouse model.

Methods

Ins2^Akita mice at 24 weeks of age received intravitreal injections of CD140b-positive ASCs (1000 cells/1 μL) or 20× conditioned media from cytokine-primed ASCs (ASC-CM, 1 μL). Age-matched wildtype mice that received saline served as controls. Visual function experiments and histological analyses were performed 3 weeks post intravitreal injection. Biochemical and molecular analyses assessed the ASC-CM composition and its biologica

SUBMITTER: Elshaer SL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6249931 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature