Anti-inflammatory potential of human corneal stroma-derived stem cells determined by a novel in vitro corneal epithelial injury model

BACKGROUND: An in vitro injury model mimicking a corneal surface injury was optimised using human corneal epithelial cells (hCEC). AIM: To investigate whether corneal-stroma derived stem cells (CSSC) seeded on an amniotic membrane (AM) construct manifests an anti-inflammatory, healing response. METHODS: Treatment of hCEC with ethanol and pro-inflammatory cytokines were compared in terms of viability loss, cytotoxicity, and pro-inflammatory cytokine release, in order to generate the in vitro injury. This resulted in an optimal injury of 20% (v/v) ethanol for 30 s with 1 ng/mL interleukin-1 (IL-1) beta. Co-culture experiments were performed with CSSC alone and with CSSC-AM constructs. The effect of injury and co-culture on viability, cytotoxicity, IL-6 and IL-8 production, and IL1B, TNF, IL6, and CXCL8 mRNA expression were assessed. RESULTS: Co-culture with CSSC inhibited loss of hCEC viability caused by injury. Enzyme linked immunosorbent assay and polymerase chain reaction showed a significant reduction in the production of IL-6 and IL-8 pro-inflammatory cytokines, and reduction in pro-inflammatory cytokine mRNA expression during co-culture with CSSC alone and with the AM construct. These results confirmed the therapeutic potential of the CSSC and the possible use of AM as a cell carrier for application to the ocular surface. CONCLUSION: CSSC were shown to have a potentially therapeutic anti-inflammatory effect when treating injured hCEC, demonstrating an important role in corneal regeneration and wound healing, leading to an improved knowledge of their potential use for research and therapeutic purposes.