Systemic Transplantation of Eyelid Adipose‐Derived Stem Cells for Antifibrotic Treatment

Abstract

AbstractFibrosis is a result of the pathological wound‐healing response initiated by immune cells and leads to permanent scarring, such as corneal scarring, which impairs the vision of millions of people worldwide. However, there is currently no available treatment strategy that specifically targets the pathogenesis of fibrosis and can be translated in a safe and versatile way. Herein, it is illustrated that systemic transplantation of easily accessible human eyelid adipose‐derived stem cells (heADSCs) can successfully and safely exert antifibrotic effects in both corneal and skin scarring cases. Intravenous injection of heADSCs alleviates scar formation after rat corneal lamellar injury with accelerated epithelization, increases tumor necrosis factor‐stimulated gene‐6 (TSG‐6) in the epithelium, and decreases inflammatory factors. Cell tracing shows the presence of detectable signals until the 7th day, while no pulmonary embolism or other discomfort occurs. heADSCs effectively reduce corneal scarring by ameliorating stromal inflammation by increasing endogenous tissue‐protective TSG‐6 in the epithelium and macrophage phenotype switching, which is more effective with systemic transplantation than subconjunctival transplantation. Systemic transplantation of heADSCs shows safe antifibrotic effects in both corneal and skin scarring cases and this result identifies systemic transplantation with autologous adipose‐derived stem cells as a generally versatile and safe therapy for antifibrotic treatment.