Potential of Human Neural Precursor Cells in Diabetic Retinopathy Therapeutics – Preclinical Model

Abstract

ABSTRACTPurposeThis study aimed to evaluate a cell therapy strategy with human neural precursor cells (hNPCs) to treat diabetic retinopathy (DR) in Wistar rats induced to diabetes by injecting streptozotocin.Material and MethodsThe Wharton’s jelly mesenchymal stem cells (WJ-MSCs) were isolated, expanded, and seeded onto a biopolymer substrate to develop neurospheres and obtain the hNPCs. The animals were divided into three groups: non-diabetic (ND) n = four, diabetic without treatment (DM) n = nine, and diabetic with cell therapy (DM + hNPCs) n = nine. After 8 weeks of diabetes induction and DR characteristics installed, intravitreal injection of hNPCs (1 × 106 cell/µL) was performed in the DM + hNPCs group. Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) and Electroretinography (ERG) evaluations were conducted before and during diabetes and after cell therapy. Four weeks posttreatment, histopathological and immunohistochemistry analyses were performed.ResultsThe repair of the retinal structures in the treated group (DM + hNPCs) was observed by increased thickness of neuroretinal layers, especially in the ganglion cell and photoreceptor layers, higher ERG oscillatory potentials (OPs) amplitudes, and transplanted hNPCs integration into the Retinal Pigment Epithelium.ConclusionsThe results indicate that hNPCs reduced DR progression by a neuroprotective effect and promoted retinal repair, making them potential candidates for regenerating the neuroretinal tissue.