Eliska Javorkova
Charles University, Czech Republic
Title: Modulation of early inflammatory response in the damaged eye by intravenously administered interferon-γ-treated mesenchymal stem cells
Biography
Biography: Eliska Javorkova
Abstract
In this study we investigated the effects of systemically administered bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) on the early acute phase of inflammation in the damaged eye. The surface of eye was damaged by the application of filter paper soaked with 1 M NaOH for 30 seconds. MSCs were prepared from a population of bone marrow cells of BALB/c mice and were depleted of CD11b+ and CD45+ cells using a magnetic activated cell sorter. Mice with damaged eye were either untreated or treated 24 hours after the injury with an intravenous administration of fluorescent dye-labeled MSCs that were unstimulated or pretreated with interleukin-1α (IL-1α), transforming growth factor-β, or interferon-γ (IFN-γ). Analysis of cell suspensions prepared from the eyes of treated mice on day 3 after the alkali burn revealed that MSCs specifically migrated to the damaged eye and that the number of labeled MSCs was more than 30-times higher in damaged eyes compared with control eyes. The study of the composition of the leukocyte populations within the damaged eyes showed that only MSCs pretreated with IFN-γ significantly decreased the percentage of eye-infiltrating cells. The analysis of cytokine and NO production in the damaged eyes showed that the most effective immunomodulation was achieved with MSCs pretreated with IFN-γ, which significantly decreased the levels of the proinflammatory molecules IL-1α, IL-6, and NO. The results show that intravenously administered MSCs specifically migrate to the damaged eye and that IFN-γ-pretreated MSCs are the most effective in inhibiting the acute phase of eye inflammation.