Transplanted olfactory ensheathing cells restore retinal function in a rat model of light-induced retinal damage by inhibiting oxidative stress.

Langyue Xue,Yijian Li,Yuxiao Zeng,Haiwei Xu,Qiyou Li,Zhengqin Yin,Zhengya Li

doi:10.18632/oncotarget.21857

Langyue Xue, Yijian Li + Show 5 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.18632/oncotarget.21857

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Journal: Oncotarget	Publication Date: Oct 16, 2017
Citations: 12	License type: cc-by

Affiliation: Southwest Hospital

Abstract

There is still not an effective treatment for continuous retinal light exposure and subsequent photoreceptor degeneration. Olfactory ensheathing cell (OEC) transplantation has been shown to be neuroprotective in spinal cord, and optic nerve injury and retinitis pigmentosa. However, whether OECs protect rat photoreceptors against light-induced damage and how this may work is unclear. Thus, to elucidate this mechanism, purified rat OECs were grafted into the subretinal space of a Long-Evans rat model with light-induced photoreceptor damage. Light exposure decreased a- and b- wave amplitudes and outer nuclear layer (ONL) thickness, whereas the ONL of rats exposed to light for 24 h after having received OEC transplants in their subretinal space was thicker than the PBS control and untreated groups. A- and b- wave amplitudes from electroretinogram of OEC-transplanted rats were maintained until 8 weeks post OEC transplantation. Also, transplanted OECs inhibited formation of reactive oxygen species in retinas exposed to light. In vitro experiments showed that OECs had more total antioxidant capacity in a co-cultured 661W photoreceptor cell line, and cells were protected from damage induced by hydrogen-peroxide. Thus, transplanted OECs preserved retinal structure and function in a rat model of light-induced degeneration by suppressing retinal oxidative stress reactions.

Highlights

Continuous retinal light exposure may irreversibly damage photoreceptor cells [1], and this is a common eye insult [2, 3]
Light exposure decreased a- and b- wave amplitudes and outer nuclear layer (ONL) thickness, whereas the ONL of rats exposed to light for 24 h after having received Olfactory ensheathing cell (OEC) transplants in their subretinal space was thicker than the PBS control and untreated groups
We established a rat model for light-induced retinal degeneration according to published methods [41] and provided evidence that transplanting primary cultured OECs into the subretinal space might preserve both the retinal function and the ONL thickness in rats by mitigating retinal oxidative stress reactions with ERG

Summary

Introduction

Continuous retinal light exposure may irreversibly damage photoreceptor cells [1], and this is a common eye insult [2, 3]. Olfactory ensheathing cells (OECs) are a special group of glial cells that reside in the olfactory system and support neurogenesis throughout a person’s life time [12]. These cells share some characteristics with Schwann cells and astrocytes. Transplantation of OECs into CNS lesion induced axonal regeneration and neural functional recovery [14, 20,21,22,23,24,25,26,27]. More effective axon regeneration and functional recovery of the CNS are usually achieved via transplantation of genetically engineered OECs [29]. OECs transplantation is clinically safe [32, 33] and offers promising therapeutic outcomes for patients [34]

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