Therapeutic effects of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) on N-methyl-N-nitrosourea (MNU)-induced retinitis pigmentosa in C57BL mice / 眼科新进展

ABSTRACT

Objective To investigate the therapeutic effects of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) on N-methyl-N-nitrosourea (MNU)-induced retinal degeneration in C57BL mice.Methods Different doses of MNU (30 mg · kg-1,45 mg · kg-1,60 mg · kg-1,75 mg · kg-1 and 90 mg · kg-1) were injected to C57BL mice for 7 days.Then electroretinogram (ERG) detection and HE staining were performed to examine retinal electrophysiological function and morphological changes on day 1,day 3 and day 7 after MNU treatment,respectively.Then we could explore the optimum condition to establish stable animal model of retinitis pigmentosa.MSCs were transplanted to C57BL mice by intravitreal or tail intravenous injection.Then ERG detection and HE staining were performed to evaluate the effect of MSCs on retinitis pigmentosa induced by MNU.Results When compared with control group,30 mg · kg-1 and 45 mg · kg-1 MNU could cause mild retinal damage in morphology and function in mice;while 60 mg · kg-1 and above dose of MNU induced serious retinal damage,leading to decreased ERG amplitude of the retina (all P ＜ 0.001) and outer nuclear layer (ONL) thickness (all P ＜ 0.001).On day 1 and day 3 after single dose of 60 mg · kg-1 MNU injection,ERG amplitude of the retina was decreased,and outer nuclear layer thickness became thin;while the retinal damage was serious badly in morphological structure on day 7,with the ERG amplitude extinguished (all P ＜ 0.001),ONL thickness thin (all P ＜ 0.001) and internal and external nuclear layer fusion.When compared with MNU alone treatment group,following injection of 60 mg · kg-1 MNU for 1 day MSCs were transplanted to C57BL mice by intravitreal or tail intravenous injection,and the amplitude of ERG and retinal ONL thickness were increased on day 7 after MSCs transplantation (all P ＜ 0.001).Conclusion MSCs transplantation has a certain therapeutic effect on MNU-induced retinitis pigmentosa in C57BL mice.