Young bone marrow Sca-1 cells protect aged retina from ischaemia-reperfusion injury through activation of FGF2.

This study investigated whether young BM stem cells can regenerate and repair the aged retina after acute I/R injury. Young BM stem cell antigen 1 positive (Sca-1+ ) or Sca-1- cells were transplanted into lethally irradiated aged recipient mice to generate Sca-1+ and Sca-1- chimaeras, respectively. The animals were housed for 3 months to allow the young Sca-1 cells to repopulate in the BM of aged mice. Retinal I/R was then induced by elevation of intraocular pressure. Better preservation of visual function was found in Sca-1+ than Sca-1- chimaeras 7 days after injury. More Sca-1+ cells homed to the retina than Sca-1- cells and more cells differentiated into glial and microglial cells in the Sca-1+ chimaeras. After injury, Sca-1+ cells in the retina reduced host cellular apoptosis, which was associated with higher expression of fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF2) in the Sca-1+ chimaeras. Young Sca-1+ cells repopulated the stem cells in the aged retina and diminished cellular apoptosis after acute I/R injury through FGF2 and Akt signalling pathways. PMID: 30255622 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
Source: J Cell Mol Med - Category: Molecular Biology Authors: Tags: J Cell Mol Med Source Type: research