Rohan Gupta, Irina Bunea, Bruno Alvisio, Francesca Barone, Rishabh Gupta, Dara Baker, Haohua Qian, Elena Daniele, Casey G Contreary, Jair Montford, Ruchi Sharma, Arvydas Maminishkis, Mandeep S Singh, Maria Teresa Magone De Quadros Costa, Amir H Kashani, Juan Amaral, Kapil Bharti
{"title":"iPSC-RPE patch restores photoreceptors and regenerates choriocapillaris in a pig retinal degeneration model.","authors":"Rohan Gupta, Irina Bunea, Bruno Alvisio, Francesca Barone, Rishabh Gupta, Dara Baker, Haohua Qian, Elena Daniele, Casey G Contreary, Jair Montford, Ruchi Sharma, Arvydas Maminishkis, Mandeep S Singh, Maria Teresa Magone De Quadros Costa, Amir H Kashani, Juan Amaral, Kapil Bharti","doi":"10.1172/jci.insight.179246","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Dry age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a leading cause of untreatable vision loss. In advanced cases, retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cell loss occurs alongside photoreceptor and choriocapillaris degeneration. We hypothesized that an RPE-patch would mitigate photoreceptor and choriocapillaris degeneration to restore vision. An induced pluripotent stem cell-derived RPE (iRPE) patch was developed using a clinically compatible manufacturing process by maturing iRPE cells on a biodegradable poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) scaffold. To compare outcomes, we developed a surgical procedure for immediate sequential delivery of PLGA-iRPE and/or PLGA-only patches in the subretinal space of a pig model of laser-induced outer retinal degeneration. Deep learning algorithm-based optical coherence tomography (OCT) image segmentation verified preservation of the photoreceptors over the areas of PLGA-iRPE-transplanted retina and not in laser-injured or PLGA-only-transplanted retina. Adaptive optics imaging of individual cone photoreceptors further supported this finding. OCT-angiography revealed choriocapillaris regeneration in PLGA-iRPE- and not in PLGA-only-transplanted retinas. Our data, obtained using clinically relevant techniques, verified that PLGA-iRPE supports photoreceptor survival and regenerates choriocapillaris in a laser-injured pig retina. Sequential delivery of two 8 mm2 transplants allows for testing of surgical feasibility and safety of the double dose. This work allows one surgery to treat larger and noncontiguous retinal degeneration areas.</p>","PeriodicalId":14722,"journal":{"name":"JCI insight","volume":"10 10","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.3000,"publicationDate":"2025-05-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12128979/pdf/","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"JCI insight","FirstCategoryId":"3","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1172/jci.insight.179246","RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"MEDICINE, RESEARCH & EXPERIMENTAL","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Dry age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a leading cause of untreatable vision loss. In advanced cases, retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cell loss occurs alongside photoreceptor and choriocapillaris degeneration. We hypothesized that an RPE-patch would mitigate photoreceptor and choriocapillaris degeneration to restore vision. An induced pluripotent stem cell-derived RPE (iRPE) patch was developed using a clinically compatible manufacturing process by maturing iRPE cells on a biodegradable poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) scaffold. To compare outcomes, we developed a surgical procedure for immediate sequential delivery of PLGA-iRPE and/or PLGA-only patches in the subretinal space of a pig model of laser-induced outer retinal degeneration. Deep learning algorithm-based optical coherence tomography (OCT) image segmentation verified preservation of the photoreceptors over the areas of PLGA-iRPE-transplanted retina and not in laser-injured or PLGA-only-transplanted retina. Adaptive optics imaging of individual cone photoreceptors further supported this finding. OCT-angiography revealed choriocapillaris regeneration in PLGA-iRPE- and not in PLGA-only-transplanted retinas. Our data, obtained using clinically relevant techniques, verified that PLGA-iRPE supports photoreceptor survival and regenerates choriocapillaris in a laser-injured pig retina. Sequential delivery of two 8 mm2 transplants allows for testing of surgical feasibility and safety of the double dose. This work allows one surgery to treat larger and noncontiguous retinal degeneration areas.
期刊介绍：
JCI Insight is a Gold Open Access journal with a 2022 Impact Factor of 8.0. It publishes high-quality studies in various biomedical specialties, such as autoimmunity, gastroenterology, immunology, metabolism, nephrology, neuroscience, oncology, pulmonology, and vascular biology. The journal focuses on clinically relevant basic and translational research that contributes to the understanding of disease biology and treatment. JCI Insight is self-published by the American Society for Clinical Investigation (ASCI), a nonprofit honor organization of physician-scientists founded in 1908, and it helps fulfill the ASCI's mission to advance medical science through the publication of clinically relevant research reports.
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