Decellularized Extracellular Matrix Scaffolds for Soft Tissue Augmentation: From Host-Scaffold Interactions to Bottlenecks in Clinical Translation.

Along with a paradigm shift in looking at soft tissue fillers from space-filling to bioactive materials, decellularized extracellular matrix (DEM) fillers have gained more attention considering their superior bioactivity. However, the complex mechanisms that govern the interaction between host tissues and DEMs have been partially understood. This review first covers the mechanisms that determine immunogenicity, angiogenesis and vasculogenesis, and recellularization and remodeling after DEM implantation into host tissue, with a particular focus on related findings from filler materials.

Age-related macular degeneration and neurodegenerative disorders: Shared pathways in complex interactions.

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a leading cause of irreversible blindness in the elderly, and neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer disease and Parkinson disease are debilitating conditions that affect millions worldwide. Despite the different clinical manifestations of these diseases, growing evidence suggests that they share common pathways in their pathogenesis including inflammation, oxidative stress, and impaired autophagy. In this review, we explore the complex interactions between AMD and neurodegenerative disorders, focusing on their shared mechanisms and potential therapeutic targets.

Exosomal Cargo: Pro-angiogeneic, anti-inflammatory, and regenerative effects in ischemic and non-ischemic heart diseases - A comprehensive review.

Heart diseases are the primary cause of mortality and morbidity worldwide which inflict a heavy social and economic burden. Among heart diseases, most deaths are due to myocardial infarction (MI) or heart attack, which occurs when a decrement in blood flow to the heart causes injury to cardiac tissue. Despite several available diagnostic, therapeutic, and prognostic approaches, heart disease remains a significant concern.

Conditional deletion of CD25 in the corneal epithelium reveals sex differences in barrier disruption.

Purpose: IL-2 promotes activation, clonal expansion, and deletion of T cells. IL-2 signals through its heterotrimeric receptor (IL-2R) consisting of the CD25, CD122 and CD132 chains. CD25 knockout (KO) mice develop Sjögren Syndrome-like disease.

Dry eye disease and blinking behaviors: A narrative review of methodologies for measuring blink dynamics and inducing blink response.

Dry eye disease (DED) is a leading cause of ophthalmology clinical encounters with prevalence ranging from 8.7% to 64% in various populations. Blinking is an endogenous process to refresh the tear film, clear debris and maintain quality vision.

The effect of decellularization protocols on characterizations of thermoresponsive and light-curable corneal extracellular matrix hydrogels.

To compare the effects of two decellularization protocols on the characteristics of fabricated COrnea Matrix (COMatrix) hydrogels. Porcine corneas were decellularized with Detergent (De) or Freeze-Thaw (FT)-based protocols. DNA remnant, tissue composition and α-Gal epitope content were measured.

Composition of the gut microbiome, role of diet, lifestyle, and antioxidant therapies in diabetes mellitus and diabetic retinopathy.

The gut microbiome is a complex ecosystem in the gastrointestinal tract composed of trillions of bacteria, viruses, fungi, and protozoa. Disruption of this delicate ecosystem, formally called "dysbiosis", has been linked to a variety of metabolic and inflammatory pathologies. Several studies have focused on abnormal microbiome composition and correlated these findings with the development of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and diabetic retinopathy (DR).

Artificial intelligence in retinal image analysis: Development, advances, and challenges.

Modern advances in diagnostic technologies offer the potential for unprecedented insight into ophthalmic conditions relating to the retina. We discuss the current landscape of artificial intelligence in retina with respect to screening, diagnosis, and monitoring of retinal pathologies such as diabetic retinopathy, diabetic macular edema, central serous chorioretinopathy, and age-related macular degeneration. We review the methods used in these models and evaluate their performance in both research and clinical contexts and discuss potential future directions for investigation, use of multiple imaging modalities in artificial intelligence algorithms, and challenges in the application of artificial intelligence in retinal pathologies.

Induction of Innate Inflammatory Pathways in the Corneal Epithelium in the Desiccating Stress Dry Eye Model.

Purpose: To determine whether 24-hour exposure to the desiccating stress (DS) dry eye model induces NF-kB and NLRP3 inflammasome pathways in the mouse cornea epithelium.

Methods: Six- to 8-week-old C57BL/6J mice were housed under normal humidity (nonstressed) or subjected to DS from a drafty, low-humidity environment combined with subcutaneous scopolamine four times/day for one day to suppress tear production (DS1). Cornea whole mounts were prepared for immunofluorescent staining, or the corneal epithelium was scraped for NF-kB p-p65 ELISA, Western blot, or real-time PCR to detect NF-kB and inflammasome pathway proteins and gene transcripts, respectively.

Optical coherence tomography angiography measurements in Parkinson's disease: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Optical coherence tomography angiography (OCT-A) is an ocular imaging technology that has emerged as a non-invasive tool to evaluate retinal microvascular changes in neurodegenerative diseases including Parkinson's disease (PD) and Alzheimer's disease. While several studies have reported on the presence of pathologic retinal microvascular alterations in PD, the utility of OCT-A as a biomarker for PD evaluation is still unclear. A systematic review and meta-analysis were performed to explore the current evidence for the role of OCT-A in PD published up until June 2022.

A narrative review on the association of high intraocular pressure and glaucoma in patients with retinal vein occlusion.

Background And Objective: Retinal vein occlusion (RVO) is a major cause of vision loss and elevated intraocular pressure (IOP), high ocular perfusion pressure, and glaucoma are known ophthalmic risk factors for RVO. The aim of this paper is to provide the update on the association and management of high IOP/glaucoma and RVO.

Methods: A literature review was performed in PubMed and Medline until May 2022 utilizing specific keywords and cross-matched reference lists.

New, potent, small molecule agonists of tyrosine kinase receptors attenuate dry eye disease.

Nerve growth factor (NGF), brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), and neurotrophin3 (NT-3) bind to tyrosine kinase (Trk) receptors, TrkA, TrkB, and TrkC, respectively. This study investigated the efficacy of novel molecule agonists of Trk receptors in an model of dry eye disease (DED). Small molecule TrkC agonist (C1) and a pan-Trk agonist (pan) were synthesized for this.

A Light-Curable and Tunable Extracellular Matrix Hydrogel for In Situ Suture-Free Corneal Repair.

Corneal injuries are a major cause of blindness worldwide. To restore corneal integrity and clarity, there is a need for regenerative bio-integrating materials for in-situ repair and replacement of corneal tissue. Here, we introduce Light-curable COrnea Matrix (LC-COMatrix), a tunable material derived from decellularized porcine cornea extracellular matrix containing un-denatured collagen and sulfated glycosaminoglycans.

IL-17 Producing Lymphocytes Cause Dry Eye and Corneal Disease With Aging in RXRα Mutant Mouse.

Purpose: To investigate IL-17 related mechanisms for developing dry eye disease in the Pinkie mouse strain with a loss of function RXRα mutation.

Methods: Measures of dry eye disease were assessed in the cornea and conjunctiva. Expression profiling was performed by single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) to compare gene expression in conjunctival immune cells.

Single-cell transcriptional profiling of murine conjunctival immune cells reveals distinct populations expressing homeostatic and regulatory genes.

Immune cells in the exposed conjunctiva mucosa defend against environmental and microbial stresses. Expression profiling by single-cell RNA sequencing was performed to identify conjunctival immune cell populations expressing homeostatic and regulatory genes. Fourteen distinct clusters were identified, including myeloid cells (neutrophils, monocytes, macrophages), dendritic cells (DC), and lymphoid cells (B, T, γδT, ILC2, and NK) lineages.

Current and Emerging Therapies for Limbal Stem Cell Deficiency.

The corneal epithelium serves to protect the underlying cornea from the external environment and is essential for corneal transparency and optimal visual function. Regeneration of this epithelium is dependent on a population of stem cells residing in the basal layer of the limbus, the junction between the cornea and the sclera. The limbus provides the limbal epithelial stem cells (LESCs) with an optimal microenvironment, the limbal niche, which strictly regulates their proliferation and differentiation.

Developing a pro-angiogenic placenta derived amniochorionic scaffold with two exposed basement membranes as substrates for cultivating endothelial cells.

Decellularized and de-epithelialized placenta membranes have widely been used as scaffolds and grafts in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. Exceptional pro-angiogenic and biomechanical properties and low immunogenicity have made the amniochorionic membrane a unique substrate which provides an enriched niche for cellular growth. Herein, an optimized combination of enzymatic solutions (based on streptokinase) with mechanical scrapping is used to remove the amniotic epithelium and chorion trophoblastic layer, which resulted in exposing the basement membranes of both sides without their separation and subsequent damages to the in-between spongy layer.

The Limbal Niche and Regenerative Strategies.

The protective function and transparency provided by the corneal epithelium are dependent on and maintained by the regenerative capacity of limbal epithelial stem cells (LESCs). These LESCs are supported by the limbal niche, a specialized microenvironment consisting of cellular and non-cellular components. Disruption of the limbal niche, primarily from injuries or inflammatory processes, can negatively impact the regenerative ability of LESCs.

Translational insights into stem cell preconditioning: From molecular mechanisms to preclinical applications.

Cell-based therapy (CBT) is a revolutionary approach for curing a variety of degenerative diseases. Stem cell-based regenerative medicine is a novel strategy for treating tissue damages regarding stem cells unique properties such as differentiation potential, paracrine impacts, and self-renewal ability. However, the current cell-based treatments encounter considerable challenges to be translated into clinical practice, including low cell survival, migration, and differentiation rate of transplanted stem cells.

Hydrogels derived from acellular porcine corneal stroma enhance corneal wound healing.

Acellular cornea derived hydrogels provide significant advantages in preserving native corneal stromal keratocyte cells and endothelial cells. However, for clinical application, hydrogel physical properties need to be improved, and their role in corneal epithelial wound healing requires further investigation. In this study, an acellular porcine corneal stroma (APCS) hydrogel (APCS-gel) was successfully prepared from 20 mg/ml APCS, demonstrated optimal light transmittance and gelation kinetic properties and retained critical corneal ECM of collagens and growth factors.

Dose-dependent therapeutic effects of topical 1,25 OH-vitamin D3 on corneal wound healing.

Conflicting results have been reported regarding the effects of 1,25 OH-vitamin D on corneal wound healing. Therefore, we undertook this study to determine whether the observed differences are dose related. The dose-dependent effects of 1,25 OH-vitamin D on corneal wound healing were evaluated using scratch assays on human corneal limbal-epithelial cells (HCLEs) and in vivo mouse corneal epithelial debridement.