Cell Therapy of Corneal Diseases with Umbilical Mesenchymal Stem Cells

描述（由申请人提供）：间充质干细胞（MSC）已被用于挽救遗传性疾病中的疾病表型、指导创伤后的愈合以及抑制多种自身免疫性疾病中的免疫反应。我们已经证明，角膜 UMSC（脐带间充质干细胞）移植可以挽救 lumican 敲除 (Lum-/-) 小鼠的浑浊、薄的角膜基质。因此，UMSC移植有利于改善由遗传缺陷引起的角膜病理。 UMSC可以抑制宿主炎症和免疫反应，并已用于实体器官联合移植以提高移植成功率。我们的初步研究表明，基质内UMSC移植可以使碱烧伤的角膜恢复透明，防止UMSC移植到前房时形成角膜后膜。我们的假设是，通过 UMSC 移植调节炎症和抑制自身免疫有利于受损角膜中祖细胞/干细胞的再生/修复和存活。具体目标将确定利用 UMSC 治疗三种人类角膜功能障碍模型的功效：创伤、持续炎症和/或免疫紊乱导致的角膜缘缺陷以及遗传疾病。具体目标1：检验UMSC治疗小鼠角膜创伤的疗效。假设 UMSC 会调节炎症反应并促进再生；具体目标2：检验UMSC移植治疗角膜缘干细胞缺乏症的疗效。假设是导致祖细胞/干细胞缺乏的持续炎症可以通过 UMSC 移植得到改善；具体目标 3：确定 UMSC 移植是否可以恢复先天性缺陷的角膜基质的功能。假设 UMSC 将重塑和修复遗传性疾病中突变蛋白导致的基质缺陷，从而恢复功能。我们提出的研究结果将支持这样一种观点，即 UMSC 移植可以作为穿透性角膜移植术的替代治疗方法，用于通过在持续炎症和/或免疫性疾病中保存祖细胞/干细胞来治疗因创伤和突变而引起的角膜功能障碍。因此，UMSC移植可能是治疗干眼、干燥综合征和史蒂文斯-约翰逊综合征的潜在治疗方案，这些综合征的特征是持续性炎症和自身免疫性疾病。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have been utilized to rescue disease phenotypes in genetic disorders, to direct healing after traumatic injury and to suppress the immune response in a variety of autoimmune disorders. We have demonstrated that corneal UMSC (umbilical mesenchymal stem cells) transplantation rescues the cloudy, thin cornea stroma of lumican knockout (Lum-/-) mice. Thus, transplantation of UMSC can be beneficial to ameliorate corneal pathology caused by genetic defects. UMSC can suppress host inflammation and immune responses and have been used in solid organ co-transplantation to improve graft success rates. Our preliminary studies have showed that intrastromal UMSC transplantation allow the alkali- burned corneas to regain transparency, to prevent the formation retro-corneal membrane when UMSC are transplanted into the anterior chamber. Our hypothesis is that modulation of inflammation and suppression of autoimmunity by UMSC transplantation are beneficial for regeneration/repair and survival of progenitor/stem cells in traumatized corneas. The specific aims will determine the efficacy of utilizing UMSCs for the treatment of three models of human corneal dysfunction: trauma, limbal deficiency due to persistent inflammation and/or immune disorders, and genetic disease. Specific Aim 1: To examine the efficacy of UMSC in treating traumatized mouse corneas. The hypothesis is that UMSC will modulate the inflammatory response and facilitate regeneration; Specific Aim 2: To examine the efficacy of UMSC transplantation in treating limbal stem cell deficiency. The hypothesis is persistent inflammation leading to progenitor/stem cell deficiency can be ameliorated by UMSC transplantation; Specific Aim 3: To determine whether UMSC transplantation can restore function in a corneal stroma with a congenital defect. The hypothesis is that UMSC will remodel and repair stromal defects resulting from mutant proteins in genetic disease thereby restoring function. The outcome of our proposed studies will lend support to the notion that UMSC transplantation can serve as an alternative treatment in lieu of penetrating keratoplasty for cornea dysfunction caused by trauma and mutation by the preservation of progenitor/stem cells in persistent inflammation and/or immune disorders. Thus, the UMSC transplantation can be a potential treating regimen for dry eyes, Sjogren and Stevens-Johnson syndromes that are characterized by persistent inflammation and autoimmune disorder.