Basis for the use of MSCs in optic nerve diseases

Abstract

Both the retina and optic nerve are expansions of the central nervous system (CNS). In this way they share pathophysiological and possibly therapeutic aspects. One of the acute pathologies that lack treatment is acute non‐arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAAION) that can be considered as a heart attack in the optic nerve head.In CNS, the concept of penumbra is used to propose treatments for ischemic stroke. Around the focus of absolute ischemia there is an area (penumbra) of neural tissue that could be rescued with neuroprotective therapies.Using this similarity, under the basis that NAAION lacks treatment and that mesenchymal stem cells are producers of several growth factors that are neuroprotective, its intravitreal use was proposed to treat the acute phases of this disease. After the precilinic safety tests, a pilot study was carried out with 5 patients that has provided encouraging results. Now the sample size has been expanded with a multicenter study involving Vall d'Hebron (Barcelona), Clinico and Ramon y Cajal (Madrid) and IOBA (Valladolid).