EN
To investigate neuroprotective effect of intravitreally applied Schwann cells therapy towards Retinal Ganglion Cells (RGCs) in rat experimental glaucoma. Twenty male Wistar rats were included to this study. Experimental glaucoma was induced in the left eye of each rat by intraocular pressure (IOP) elevation using intracameral injection of polystyrene microbeads. The right eye served as a healthy control. Ten animals received intravitreal injection of 5 μl Schwann cells suspension (about 106 cells), another 10 received injection of equivallent volume of PBS. Animals were breaded for 6 weeks and IOP was monitored using laboratory tonometer once a week. After 6 weeks animals were sacrificed, eyes with optic nerves were enucleated and processed for histology and immunohistochemistry. RGCs survival was compared by counting RGCs bodies and optic nerve axons from control eyes (healthy and PBS) and Schwann cells treated. Mean 6 weeks IOP in ocular hypertension eyes was significantly higher in comparison to healthy contralateral eyes (31.02±5.5 mmHg and 10.32±0.54 mmHg, mean±SD, Wilcoxon paired test, P<0.05). There were significant differences between RGCs bodies and optic nerve axons numbers in Schwann cell-treated vs. PBS-treated vs. healthy control eyes (P<0.05, Kruskall-Wallis test). Mean 6-weeks loss of RGCs bodies was 21.7% in glaucoma eyes treated with Schwann cells and 45% in glaucoma eyes treated with PBS. Immunofluorescent staining with GAP43 showed neurites outgrowth within optic nerves from eyes treated with Schwann cells. Applied cellular therapy using predegenerated Schwann cells showed neuroprotective and regenerative effect towards RGCs in rat glaucoma model.