Stem cell-based treatment in geographic atrophy: promises and pitfalls.

Geographic atrophy is a common and untreatable form of advanced age-related macular degeneration. The degeneration primarily affects the retinal pigment epithelium and photoreceptors of the retina and their restoration by cell transplantation seems attractive. Recently, a patient with geographic atrophy was the first human to receive cells derived from human embryonic stem cells. In this short review, the rationale, potential and obstacles for stem cell-derived therapy in geographic atrophy are discussed.

Monocyte chemoattractant protein 1-mediated migration of mesenchymal stem cells is a source of intimal hyperplasia.

OBJECTIVE: Intimal hyperplasia is considered to be a healing response and is a major cause of vessel narrowing after injury, where migration of vascular progenitor cells contributes to pathological events, including transplant arteriosclerosis. APPROACH AND RESULTS: In this study, we used a rat aortic-allograft model to identify the predominant cell types associated with transplant arteriosclerosis and to identify factors important in their recruitment into the graft. Transplantation of labeled adventitial tissues allowed us to identify the adventitia as a major source of cells migrating to the intima. RNA microarrays revealed a potential role for monocyte chemoattractant protein 1 (MCP-1), stromal cell-derived factor 1, regulated on activation, normal T cell expressed and secreted, and interferon-inducible protein 10 in the induced vasculopathy. MCP-1 induced migration of adventitial fibroblast cells. CCR2, the receptor for MCP-1, was coexpressed with CD90, CD44, NG2, or sca-1 on mesenchymal stem cells. In vivo experiments using MCP-1-deficient and CCR2-deficient mice confirmed an important role of MCP-1 in the formation of intimal hyperplasia in a mouse model of vascular injury. CONCLUSIONS: The adventitia is a potentially important cellular source that contributes to intimal hyperplasia, and MCP-1 is a potent chemokine for the recruitment of adventitial vascular progenitor cells to intimal lesions.

RCMV increases intimal hyperplasia by inducing inflammation, MCP-1 expression and recruitment of adventitial cells to intima.

BACKGROUND: Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection has been associated with accelerated transplant vasculopathy. In this study, we assessed the effects of acute rat CMV (RCMV) infection on vessel remodeling in transplant vasculopathy, focusing on allograft morphology, inflammation and contribution of adventitial cells to intimal hyperplasia. METHODS: Infrarenal aorta was locally infected with RCMV and transplanted from female F344 rats to male Lewis rats. Graft samples were collected 2 and 8 weeks after transplantation and analyzed for intimal hyperplasia, collagen degradation and inflammation. Transplantation of aorta followed by transplantation of RCMV infected and labeled isogenic adventitia were performed to study migration of adventitial cells towards the intima. RESULTS: Intimal hyperplasia was increased threefold in infected allografts. RCMV induced apoptosis in the media, expression of matrix metalloproteinase 2, and decreased collagen deposits. Macrophage infiltration was increased in the infected allografts and resulted in increased production of MCP-1. RCMV-infected macrophages were observed in the adventitia and intima. Cells derived from infected adventitia migrated towards the intima of the allograft. CONCLUSIONS: RCMV enhances infiltration of macrophages to the allografts, and thereby increases MCP-1 production and inflammation, followed by recruitment of adventitial cells to the intima and accelerated intimal hyperplasia.

Host-derived smooth muscle cells accumulate in cardiac allografts: role of inflammation and monocyte chemoattractant protein 1.

Transplant arteriosclerosis is characterized by inflammation and intimal thickening caused by accumulation of smooth muscle cells (SMCs) both from donor and recipient. We assessed the relationship between clinical factors and the presence of host-derived SMCs in 124 myocardial biopsies from 26 consecutive patients who received hearts from opposite-sex donors. Clinical and demographic information was obtained from the patients' medical records. Host-derived SMCs accounted for 3.35+/-2.3% of cells in arterioles (range, 0.08-12.51%). As shown by linear regression analysis, an increased number of SMCs was associated with rejection grade (mean, 1.41+/-1.03, p = 0.034) and the number of leukocytes (19.1+/-12.7 per 20 high-power fields, p = 0.01). The accumulation of host-derived SMCs was associated with an increased number of leukocytes in the allografts. In vitro, monocyte chemoattractant protein 1 (MCP-1) released from leukocytes was crucial for SMC migration. After heart allotransplantation, mice treated with MCP-1-specific antibodies had significantly fewer host-derived SMCs in the grafts than mice treated with isotypic antibody controls. We conclude that the number of host-derived SMCs in human cardiac allografts is associated with the rejection grade and that MCP-1 may play pivotal role in recruiting host-derived SMCs into cardiac allografts.

Activity and stability of catalase in nonionic micellar and reverse micellar systems.

Catalase activity and stability in the presence of simple micelles of Brij 35 and entrapped in reverse micelles of Brij 30 have been studied. The enzyme retains full activity in aqueous micellar solution of Brij 35. Catalase exhibits "superactivity" in reverse micelles composed of 0.1 M Brij 30 in dodecane, n-heptane or isooctane, and significantly lowers the activity in decaline. The incorporation of catalase into Brij 30 reverse micelles enhances its stability at 50 degrees C. However, the stability of catalase incubated at 37 degrees C in micellar and reverse micellar solutions is lower than that in homogeneous aqueous solution.