title: Small molecule mediated proliferation of primary retinal pigment epithelial cells.
abstract: Retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells form a monolayer adjacent to the retina and play a critical role in the visual light cycle. Degeneration of RPE cells results in retinal disorders such as age-related macular degeneration. Cell transplant strategies have potential therapeutic value for such disorders; however, risks associated with an inadequate supply of donor cells limit their therapeutic success. The identification of factors that proliferate RPE cells ex vivo could provide a renewable source of cells for transplantation. Here, we report that a small molecule (WS3) can reversibly proliferate primary RPE cells isolated from fetal and adult human donors. Following withdrawal of WS3, RPE cells differentiate into a functional monolayer, as exhibited by their expression of mature RPE genes and phagocytosis of photoreceptor outer segments. Furthermore, chemically expanded RPE cells preserve vision when transplanted into dystrophic Royal College of Surgeons (RCS) rats, a well-established model of retinal degeneration.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry and the Skaggs Institute for Chemical Biology, The Scripps Research Institute , 10550 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, California 92037, United States.
authors.forename: Jonathan G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Swoboda
authors.forename: Jimmy
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Elliott
authors.forename: Vishal
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Deshmukh
authors.forename: Lorenzo
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: de Lichtervelde
authors.forename: Weijun
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.forename: Matthew S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Tremblay
authors.forename: Eric C
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Peters
authors.forename: Charles Y
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.forename: Bin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: Sergej
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Girman
authors.forename: Shaomei
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Peter G
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: Schultz
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001710:Biotin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects*; D053686:Fetal Stem Cells; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D006801:Humans; D015394:Molecular Structure; D010671:Phenylurea Compounds / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011743:Pyrimidines / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D012160:Retina / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects; D012162:Retinal Degeneration / Q000188:drug therapy; D054852:Small Molecule Libraries / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D010671:Phenylurea Compounds; D011743:Pyrimidines; D054852:Small Molecule Libraries; D001710:Biotin