Crosstalk among miR-29, α-SMA, and TGFβ1/β3 in melatonin-induced exosome (Mel-prExo) treated human limbal mesenchymal stem cells (hLMSCs): An insight into scarless healing of the cornea

Altug B., Soykan M. N., Eyubova S., Eker Sariboyaci A., Dogan C., Ozalp O., ...Daha Fazla

BioFactors, cilt.50, sa.6, ss.1287-1297, 2024 (SCI-Expanded) identifier identifier

  • Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
  • Cilt numarası: 50 Sayı: 6
  • Basım Tarihi: 2024
  • Doi Numarası: 10.1002/biof.2085
  • Dergi Adı: BioFactors
  • Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus, Academic Search Premier, Aquatic Science & Fisheries Abstracts (ASFA), BIOSIS, Biotechnology Research Abstracts, CAB Abstracts, Chemical Abstracts Core, EMBASE, Environment Index, Food Science & Technology Abstracts, MEDLINE, Veterinary Science Database
  • Sayfa Sayıları: ss.1287-1297
  • Anahtar Kelimeler: cornea, human limbal mesenchymal stem cell, melatonin, programming exosome, scarless healing
  • Eskişehir Osmangazi Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet

Özet

Inflammatory mediators that infiltrate the corneal stroma after corneal infections, trauma or refractive surgery can trigger the transformation of corneal keratocytes into myofibroblasts, resulting in highly irregular collagen deposition and subsequently corneal scarring. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) can be used as therapeutic agents to regenerate corneal and conjunctival tissue damage, regulate inflammation, and reduce the development of limbal stem cell failure. The use of MSC-derived exosomes as a cell-free therapeutic vector is a novel therapeutic approach. This study aimed to assess the effect of exosomes obtained from melatonin (Mel)-treated human limbal mesenchymal stem cells (hLMSCs) on naïve hLMSCs and to determine their influence on the antifibrotic and pro-regenerative pathways involved in corneal scarring. hLMSCs were treated with varying concentrations of Mel, followed by isolation and characterization of the procured exosomes (Mel-prExos). These exosomes were added to the cell culture media of naïve hLMSCs to examine their antifibrotic and pro-regenerative effects. The expression of miR-155, miR-29, TGFβ1, TGFβ3, PPARγ, and α-SMA miRNAs and genes were compared between Mel-treated hLMSCs and Mel-prExo-treated hLMSCs by using real-time PCR. We found that at 1 μM Mel and in the presence of Mel-prExos, TGFβ1 was expressed 0.001-fold, while TGFβ3 was expressed 0.6-fold. miR-29 expression was increased 38-fold in the control-Exo group compared to that in the control group. Changes in TGFβ1/β3 and α-SMA expression are associated with miR-29 and miR-155. This approach could prove beneficial for ocular surface tissue engineering applications.