New Prospects for Retinal Pigment Epithelium Transplantation.

Abstract

ABSTRACT:

Retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) transplants rescue photoreceptors in selected animal models of retinal degenerative disease. Early clinical studies of RPE transplants as treatment for age-related macular degeneration (AMD) included autologous and allogeneic transplants of RPE suspensions and RPE sheets for atrophic and neovascular complications of AMD. Subsequent studies explored autologous RPE-Bruch membrane-choroid transplants in patients with neovascular AMD with occasional marked visual benefit, which establishes a rationale for RPE transplants in late-stage AMD. More recent work has involved transplantation of autologous and allogeneic stem cell-derived RPE for patients with AMD and those with Stargardt disease. These early-stage clinical trials have employed RPE suspensions and RPE monolayers on biocompatible scaffolds. Safety has been well documented, but evidence of efficacy is variable. Current research involves development of better scaffolds, improved modulation of immune surveillance, and modification of the extracellular milieu to improve RPE survival and integration with host retina.

• Authors: Vamsi K Gullapalli, Marco A Zarbin
• Journal: Asia-Pacific journal of ophthalmology (Philadelphia, Pa.) (Asia Pac J Ophthalmol (Phila)) 2022 Jul-Aug 01 Vol. 11 Issue 4 Pg. 302-313 ISSN: 2162-0989 [Electronic] China
• PMID: 36041145 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Review)
• Copyright: Copyright © 2022 Asia-Pacific Academy of Ophthalmology. Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. on behalf of the Asia-Pacific Academy of Ophthalmology.

Chemical References

• Angiogenesis Inhibitors
• Suspensions
• Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A

Topics

• Angiogenesis Inhibitors
• Animals
• Humans
• Retinal Pigment Epithelium (transplantation)
• Suspensions
• Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A
• Visual Acuity
• Wet Macular Degeneration (surgery)