Researchers from the National Eye Institute (NEI) have found stem cell secretions called exosomes may help protect cells in the retina, pointing to potential therapies for glaucoma.
According to researchers, exosomes are tiny membrane-enclosed packages that form inside of cells before getting expelled, and are packed with proteins, lipids and gene-regulating RNA. Studies have shown exosomes from one call can be taken up by another by fusing with the target cell's membrane, causing it to make new proteins.
In the study, researchers examined the role of stem cell exosomes on retinal ganglion cells. Using a rat glaucoma model, scientists reportedly found rats injected weekly with exosomes isolated from bone marrow stem cells lost about a third of their retinal ganglion cells following optic nerve injury, compared with a 90-percent loss among untreated rats. And stem cell exosome-treated retinal ganglion cells also reportedly maintained function, according to electroretinography.
Investigators reportedly plan additional research to understand more about the specific contents of some exosomes and to identify the most optimal exosome approach.
The study was recently published in the journal Stem Cells Translational Medicine.
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Source: National Eye Institute