Blindness treated in Japan
Scientists from Osaka University have achieved successful results in four visually impaired patients using a stem cell therapy they developed. It was stated that this method, which targets vision loss caused by corneal damage, has provided significant improvements in visual acuity.
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Scientists at Osaka University in Japan have achieved a world first with a stem cell therapy they developed. They succeeded in restoring vision to four visually impaired individuals using this new method.
This treatment, which is in the trial phase, has yielded successful results, particularly in patients experiencing vision loss due to corneal damage.
TESTED ON FOUR PATIENTS
The study included four patients suffering from severe vision loss. While significant improvements were observed in three individuals who received stem cell transplants, the fourth patient also experienced an improvement in vision, though it was noted that these improvements were not long-lasting.
These patients were the first to experience treatment with reprogrammed stem cells to repair damage to the cornea, the transparent surface of the eye.
Experts emphasize that the treatment appears safe but that larger-scale clinical trials are necessary. The cornea can regenerate itself thanks to stem cells in the limbal ring of the eye. However, these stem cells decrease or are completely depleted in conditions such as "limbal stem cell deficiency" (LSCD). LSCD can lead to the accumulation of scar tissue on the cornea and eventually blindness. This condition can develop for many reasons, including trauma, autoimmune diseases, and genetic factors.
NOT APPLICABLE IF BOTH EYES ARE AFFECTED
Traditional LSCD treatments are usually performed by transplanting stem cells taken from healthy eyes. However, this method cannot be applied when both eyes are affected. Furthermore, corneal transplants obtained from organ donations can be rejected by the immune system.
Experts at Osaka University chose to use induced pluripotent stem cells (iPS cells) to overcome this problem. Blood cells taken from a healthy donor were converted into an embryonic-like state and then transformed into corneal epithelial cells. These epithelial cells were placed on the eye surface after the scar tissue on the patients' corneas was cleared.
Two-year observations following the treatment showed that no major side effects occurred. No tumor development was observed in any patient, and the immune system did not attack the transplanted cells. Kapil Bharti, one of the experts who developed the treatment, stated that these results are promising but that more transplants are needed to confirm the safety of the treatment.
RESULTS NOT YET CLEAR
While immediate improvements in vision were observed in all four patients who received the transplant, there was also a significant reduction in the treated area.
In observations conducted over one year, it was seen that the improvements were reversed in only one patient. Scientists believe they have not yet fully determined the exact reasons for the visual improvement in the treatment, but they think that the transplanted cells may have attached to and proliferated on the recipient's cornea, or that the prior clearing of scar tissue may also have been effective.