Transplantation of cultured olfactory mucosal cells rescues optic nerve axons in a rat glaucoma model.

PURPOSE: To determine whether transplantation of olfactory mucosal cells (OMCs) is able to rescue the loss of optic nerve axons after the intraocular pressure (IOP) is elevated in rats.

METHODS: The IOP was raised by injection of magnetic microspheres into the anterior chamber of the eye. OMCs cultured from the adult olfactory mucosa were transplanted into the region of the optic disc.

RESULTS: We demonstrated that although the raised IOP returned to its normal level at six weeks, there was an irreversible 58% loss of optic nerve axons in the control group. However, the loss of the axons was reduced to 23% in the group with the transplanted OMCs. The Pattern Electroretinograms (pERG) showed that the decrement of the voltage amplitudes in association with the raised IOP was significantly alleviated in the group with transplantation of OMC.

CONCLUSIONS: Transplantation of OMCs is able to rescue loss of optic nerve axons induced by raised IOP in the rats. The pERG recording suggested that the functional activities of the axons are also protected. Translational Relevance The results demonstrated the ability of the transplanted OMCs to protect the loss of the optic nerve axons and the loss of function caused by raised IOPs. The findings provide a basis for future human clinical trials by autografting OMCs from autologous nasal epithelial biopsies to treat or delay glaucoma diseases.