Human Umbilical Cord Mesenchymal Stem Cells Attenuate Ocular Hypertension-Induced Retinal Neuroinflammation via Toll-Like Receptor 4 Pathway

Glaucoma is characterized by progressive, irreversible damage to the retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) and their axons. Our previous study has shown that the intravitreal transplantation of human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (hUC-MSCs) reveals a neuroprotective role in microsphere injection-ind...

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Main Authors: Shangli Ji, Jie Xiao, Jian Liu, Shibo Tang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2019-01-01
Series:Stem Cells International
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2019/9274585
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author Shangli Ji
Jie Xiao
Jian Liu
Shibo Tang
author_facet Shangli Ji
Jie Xiao
Jian Liu
Shibo Tang
author_sort Shangli Ji
collection DOAJ
description Glaucoma is characterized by progressive, irreversible damage to the retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) and their axons. Our previous study has shown that the intravitreal transplantation of human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (hUC-MSCs) reveals a neuroprotective role in microsphere injection-induced ocular hypertension (OHT) rat models. The protection is related to the modulation of glial cells, but the mechanisms are still unknown. The purpose of the present study is to clarify the potential neuroinflammatory mechanisms involved in the neuroprotective role of hUC-MSCs. OHT models were established with SD rats through intracameral injection of polystyrene microbeads. The animals were randomly divided into three groups: the normal group, the OHT+phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) group, and the OHT+hUC-MSC group. Retinal morphology was evaluated by measuring the inner retinal thickness via optical coherence tomography (OCT). Retinal cell apoptosis was examined by TUNEL staining and Bax expression 14 days following hUC-MSC transplantation. The expression levels of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), ionized calcium binding adapter molecule 1 (iba-1), and toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) were assessed via immunohistochemistry, real-time quantitative PCR, and Western blot. RNA and proteins were extracted 14 days following transplantation, and the expression levels of the TLR4 signaling pathways and proinflammatory cytokines—myeloid differentiation factor 88 (MyD88), IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α—were determined. OCT showed that the intravitreal transplantation of hUC-MSCs significantly increased the inner thickness of the retina. A TUNEL assay and the expression of Bax suggested that the apoptosis of retinal cells was decreased by hUC-MSCs 14 days following transplantation. Intravitreal hUC-MSC transplantation resulted in a decreased expression of GFAP, iba-1, TLR4, MyD88, IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α 14 days following transplantation. In addition, via in vitro experiments, we found that the increased expression of the TLR4 signaling pathway induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) was markedly decreased after hUC-MSCs were cocultured with rMC-1 and BV2 cells. These findings indicate that hUC-MSC transplantation attenuates OHT-induced retinal neuroinflammation via the TLR4 pathway.
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spelling doaj-art-c925a85ab13842c18b5d058cbd15f2722025-02-03T05:58:59ZengWileyStem Cells International1687-966X1687-96782019-01-01201910.1155/2019/92745859274585Human Umbilical Cord Mesenchymal Stem Cells Attenuate Ocular Hypertension-Induced Retinal Neuroinflammation via Toll-Like Receptor 4 PathwayShangli Ji0Jie Xiao1Jian Liu2Shibo Tang3Aier School of Ophthalmology, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, ChinaDepartment of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, ChinaAier School of Ophthalmology, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, ChinaAier School of Ophthalmology, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, ChinaGlaucoma is characterized by progressive, irreversible damage to the retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) and their axons. Our previous study has shown that the intravitreal transplantation of human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (hUC-MSCs) reveals a neuroprotective role in microsphere injection-induced ocular hypertension (OHT) rat models. The protection is related to the modulation of glial cells, but the mechanisms are still unknown. The purpose of the present study is to clarify the potential neuroinflammatory mechanisms involved in the neuroprotective role of hUC-MSCs. OHT models were established with SD rats through intracameral injection of polystyrene microbeads. The animals were randomly divided into three groups: the normal group, the OHT+phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) group, and the OHT+hUC-MSC group. Retinal morphology was evaluated by measuring the inner retinal thickness via optical coherence tomography (OCT). Retinal cell apoptosis was examined by TUNEL staining and Bax expression 14 days following hUC-MSC transplantation. The expression levels of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), ionized calcium binding adapter molecule 1 (iba-1), and toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) were assessed via immunohistochemistry, real-time quantitative PCR, and Western blot. RNA and proteins were extracted 14 days following transplantation, and the expression levels of the TLR4 signaling pathways and proinflammatory cytokines—myeloid differentiation factor 88 (MyD88), IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α—were determined. OCT showed that the intravitreal transplantation of hUC-MSCs significantly increased the inner thickness of the retina. A TUNEL assay and the expression of Bax suggested that the apoptosis of retinal cells was decreased by hUC-MSCs 14 days following transplantation. Intravitreal hUC-MSC transplantation resulted in a decreased expression of GFAP, iba-1, TLR4, MyD88, IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α 14 days following transplantation. In addition, via in vitro experiments, we found that the increased expression of the TLR4 signaling pathway induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) was markedly decreased after hUC-MSCs were cocultured with rMC-1 and BV2 cells. These findings indicate that hUC-MSC transplantation attenuates OHT-induced retinal neuroinflammation via the TLR4 pathway.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2019/9274585
spellingShingle Shangli Ji
Jie Xiao
Jian Liu
Shibo Tang
Human Umbilical Cord Mesenchymal Stem Cells Attenuate Ocular Hypertension-Induced Retinal Neuroinflammation via Toll-Like Receptor 4 Pathway
Stem Cells International
title Human Umbilical Cord Mesenchymal Stem Cells Attenuate Ocular Hypertension-Induced Retinal Neuroinflammation via Toll-Like Receptor 4 Pathway
title_full Human Umbilical Cord Mesenchymal Stem Cells Attenuate Ocular Hypertension-Induced Retinal Neuroinflammation via Toll-Like Receptor 4 Pathway
title_fullStr Human Umbilical Cord Mesenchymal Stem Cells Attenuate Ocular Hypertension-Induced Retinal Neuroinflammation via Toll-Like Receptor 4 Pathway
title_full_unstemmed Human Umbilical Cord Mesenchymal Stem Cells Attenuate Ocular Hypertension-Induced Retinal Neuroinflammation via Toll-Like Receptor 4 Pathway
title_short Human Umbilical Cord Mesenchymal Stem Cells Attenuate Ocular Hypertension-Induced Retinal Neuroinflammation via Toll-Like Receptor 4 Pathway
title_sort human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells attenuate ocular hypertension induced retinal neuroinflammation via toll like receptor 4 pathway
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2019/9274585
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AT jianliu humanumbilicalcordmesenchymalstemcellsattenuateocularhypertensioninducedretinalneuroinflammationviatolllikereceptor4pathway
AT shibotang humanumbilicalcordmesenchymalstemcellsattenuateocularhypertensioninducedretinalneuroinflammationviatolllikereceptor4pathway