title: Human amniotic fluid promotes retinal pigmented epithelial cells' trans-differentiation into rod photoreceptors and retinal ganglion cells.
abstract: To evaluate the effect of human amniotic fluid (HAF) on retinal pigmented epithelial cells growth and trans-differentiation into retinal neurons, retinal pigmented epithelium (RPE) cells were isolated from neonatal human cadaver eye globes and cultured in Dulbecco's modified Eagle's medium-F12 supplemented with 10% fetal bovine serum (FBS). Confluent monolayer cultures were trypsinized and passaged using FBS-containing or HAF-containing media. Amniotic fluid samples were received from pregnant women in the first trimester of gestation. Cell proliferation and death enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays were performed to assess the effect of HAF on RPE cell growth. Trans-differentiation into rod photoreceptors and retinal ganglion cells was also studied using immunocytochemistry and real-time polymerase chain reaction techniques. Primary cultures of RPE cells were successfully established under FBS-containing or HAF-containing media leading to rapid cell growth and proliferation. When RPE cells were moved to in vitro culture system, they began to lose their differentiation markers such as pigmentation and RPE65 marker and trans-differentiated neural-like cells followed by spheroid colonies pertaining to stem/progenitor cells were morphologically detected. Immunocytochemistry (ICC) analysis of HAF-treated cultures showed a considerable expression of Rhodopsin gene (30% Rhodopsin-positive cells) indicating trans-differentiation of RPE cells to rod photoreceptors. Real-time polymerase chain reaction revealed an HAF-dose-dependant expression of Thy-1 gene (RGC marker) and significant promoting effect of HAF on RGCs generation. The data presented here suggest that HAF possesses invaluable stimulatory effect on RPE cells growth and trans-differentiation into retinal neurons. It can be regarded as a newly introduced enriched supplement in serum-free kinds of media used in neuro-retinal regeneration studies.
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Shima
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ghaderi
authors.forename: Zahra-Soheila
authors.initials: ZS
authors.lastname: Soheili
authors.forename: Hamid
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ahmadieh
authors.forename: Maliheh
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Davari
authors.forename: Fatemeh Sanie
authors.initials: FS
authors.lastname: Jahromi
authors.forename: Shahram
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Samie
authors.forename: Mozhgan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rezaie-Kanavi
authors.forename: Jalil
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pakravesh
authors.forename: Abdolkhalegh
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Deezagi
mesh_terms: D000653:Amniotic Fluid / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000502:physiology; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D002449:Cell Aggregation; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D048430:Cell Shape; D054338:Cell Transdifferentiation; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D005136:Eye Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D053538:Keratin-18 / Q000378:metabolism; D053533:Keratin-8 / Q000378:metabolism; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D016501:Neurites / Q000378:metabolism; D011247:Pregnancy; D061251:Primary Cell Culture; D044968:Regenerative Medicine; D012165:Retinal Ganglion Cells / Q000166:cytology*; D055213:Retinal Pigment Epithelium / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D017948:Retinal Rod Photoreceptor Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism; D012243:Rhodopsin / Q000378:metabolism; D018800:Thy-1 Antigens / Q000378:metabolism; D019745:cis-trans-Isomerases; D000099178:Retinoid Isomerohydrolase
chemical_list: D002352:Carrier Proteins; D005136:Eye Proteins; D053538:Keratin-18; D053533:Keratin-8; D012243:Rhodopsin; D018800:Thy-1 Antigens; D019745:cis-trans-Isomerases; D000099178:Retinoid Isomerohydrolase