A first-in-human clinical study of an allogenic iPSC-derived corneal endothelial cell substitute transplantation for bullous keratopathy.

A first-in-human investigator-initiated clinical study of a corneal endothelial cell substitute (CLS001) derived from a clinical-grade induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) line shows improvement of visual acuity and corneal stromal edema, with no adverse events for up to 1 year after surgery for the treatment of bullous keratopathy. While preclinical tests, including multiple whole-genome analysis and tumorigenicity tests adhering to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) draft guidelines, are negative, an additional whole-genome analysis conducted on transplanted CLS001 cells reveals a de novo in-frame deletion of exon22 in the EP300 gene. No adverse events related to the mutation are observed.

Adipose-derived mesenchymal stromal cells: A study on safety and efficacy in ocular inflammation.

Purpose: This study explores the application of adipose-derived mesenchymal stromal cells (adMSCs) as a therapy for ocular inflammatory diseases utilizing a chronic GVHD model.

Methods: Human adMSCs were administered via subconjunctival injection into mice with chronic ocular GVHD. Clinical scores and changes in T cell populations were analyzed.

The Cornea: An Ideal Tissue for Regenerative Medicine.

Regenerative medicine is a highly anticipated field with hopes to provide cures for previously uncurable diseases such as spinal cord injuries and retinal blindness. Most regenerative medical products use either autologous or allogeneic stem cells, which may or may not be genetically modified. The introduction of induced-pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) has fueled research in the field, and several iPSC-derived cells/tissues are currently undergoing clinical trials.

Safety and efficacy of long-term nicotinamide mononucleotide supplementation on metabolism, sleep, and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide biosynthesis in healthy, middle-aged Japanese men.

Obesity and aging are major risk factors for several life-threatening diseases. Accumulating evidence from both rodents and humans suggests that the levels of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD), a regulator of many biological processes, declines in multiple organs and tissues with aging and obesity. Administration of an NAD intermediate, nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN), replenishes intracellular NAD levels and mitigates aging- and obesity-associated derangements in animal models.

Non-apoptotic regulated cell death in Fuchs endothelial corneal dystrophy.

Introduction: Fuchs endothelial corneal dystrophy (FECD) is the leading cause of corneal blindness in developed countries. Corneal endothelial cells in FECD are susceptive to oxidative stress, leading to mitochondrial dysfunction and cell death. Oxidative stress causes many forms of cell death including parthanatos, which is characterized by translocation of apoptosis-inducing factor (AIF) to the nucleus with upregulation of poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase 1 (PARP-1) and poly (ADP-ribose) (PAR).