title: Mesenchymal stromal cell-mediated neuroprotection and functional preservation of retinal ganglion cells in a rodent model of glaucoma.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Glaucoma is a leading cause of irreversible blindness involving loss of retinal ganglion cells (RGC). Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSC) have shown promise as a paracrine-mediated therapy for compromised neurons. It is, however, unknown whether dental pulp stem cells (DPSC) are effective as a cellular therapy in glaucoma and how their hypothesized influence compares with other more widely researched MSC sources. The present study aimed to compare the efficacy of adipose-derived stem cells, bone marrow-derived MSC (BMSC) and DPSC in preventing the loss of RGC and visual function when transplanted into the vitreous of glaucomatous rodent eyes.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-five days after raised intraocular pressure (IOP) and intravitreal stem cell transplantation, Brn3a(+) RGC numbers, retinal nerve fibre layer thickness (RNFL) and RGC function were evaluated by immunohistochemistry, optical coherence tomography and electroretinography, respectively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Control glaucomatous eyes that were sham-treated with heat-killed DPSC had a significant loss of RGC numbers, RNFL thickness and function compared with intact eyes. BMSC and, to a greater extent, DPSC provided significant protection from RGC loss and RNFL thinning and preserved RGC function.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The study supports the use of DPSC as a neuroprotective cellular therapy in retinal degenerative disease such as glaucoma.
authors.affiliation: Neurotrauma Research Group, College of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK; School of Dentistry, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK. Electronic address: BXM813@bham.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Ben
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Mead
authors.affiliation: Neurotrauma Research Group, College of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK.
authors.forename: Lisa J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Hill
authors.affiliation: Neurotrauma Research Group, College of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK.
authors.forename: Richard J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Blanch
authors.affiliation: Neurotrauma Research Group, College of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK.
authors.forename: Kelly
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ward
authors.affiliation: Neurotrauma Research Group, College of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK.
authors.forename: Ann
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Logan
authors.affiliation: Neurotrauma Research Group, College of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK.
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Berry
authors.affiliation: Neurotrauma Research Group, College of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK.
authors.forename: Wendy
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Leadbeater
authors.affiliation: School of Dentistry, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK.
authors.forename: Ben A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Scheven
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004596:Electroretinography; D005260:Female; D005901:Glaucoma / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D045164:Mesenchymal Stem Cell Transplantation; D059630:Mesenchymal Stem Cells / Q000502:physiology*; D000066829:Neuroprotection / Q000502:physiology*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012160:Retina / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D012165:Retinal Ganglion Cells / Q000473:pathology* / Q000502:physiology*; D041623:Tomography, Optical Coherence
keywords: dental pulp stem cells; glaucoma; mesenchymal stromal cells; neuroprotection; retinal ganglion cells; stem cell transplantation