The impact of adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells on corneal neovascularization after alkali burn in a rabbit model: A clinical and histological investigation

The cornea, the transparent outer layer of the eye, is essential for vision, as it refracts the light to focus images. As the function is vital, corneal inflammation can cause visual disturbances and even blindness. A large number of studies have confirmed that multiple inflammatory diseases involving corneal lead to visual damage and long-term inflammation, which may result in loss of sight. Purpose: To determine effects of adipose derived mesenchymal stem cells (ADMS) on healing of alkali-induced corneal wounds in the rabbit. The protocol included 20 rabbits with induced corneal alkali injuries in both eyes. Subconjunctival injections were administered to half of the rabbits (MSC group, n=10), while the other half (the control group, n=10) were left untreated. The rabbits were subjected to slit-lamp examination and photography for evaluation of corneal neovascularization. Histological studies showed enhanced healing in MSC-treated eyes. Interestingly, significant differences between MSC and control group were evident in corneal neovascularisation and re-epithelialisation as well as in the formation of neovascular tissue at weeks two and four post-surgery.