Prospective Utilization of Wharton’s Jelly-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells and Their Conditioned Medium in the Regeneration of Diabetic Corneal Neuropathy

Abstract

Diabetes Mellitus, a highly prevalent and rapidly increasing metabolic disease, can cause several serious complications including visual damage and blindness caused by ocular nerve damage. Nerve fiber degeneration might occur because of the accumulation of glycation end-products in the Descemet's membrane of the nerve. The severity of corneal nerve diabetic keratopathy can be examined through regeneration of corneal nerves, specifically through GAP-43 and TUB33, which are two markers of nerve regeneration. WJMSCs (Wharton's jelly-derived mesenchymal stem cells) induce its regenerative effects by expressing genes that promote neuronal development, inhibiting proliferation of pro-inflammatory cytokines, suppressing the immune system, and most of all its highly proliferative capacity. WJMSCs are believed to be more superior than other sources of mesenchymal stem cells as the umbilical cord is more easily accessible and stored for further usage. Moreover, WJMSCs possess anti-tumorigenic abilities and does not induce any serious adverse effects. Thus, the prospective of WJMSCs to be utilized as corneal nerve neuropathy in diabetic patients is bright, but further trials are still needed to solidify its efficacy.