Evaluation of new techniques of cellular therapy to ocular surface diseases

• Grant number: 21/04045-5
• Support Opportunities: Research Grants - Young Investigators Grants - Phase 2
• Start date: February 01, 2022
• End date: January 31, 2027
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Medicine - Medical Clinics
• Principal Investigator: Mônica de Cássia Alves
• Grantee: Mônica de Cássia Alves
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Ciências Médicas (FCM). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil
• Associated researchers: Ângela Cristina Malheiros Luzo ; Bruno Deltreggia Benites ; Elenice Deffune ; Helga Caputo Nunes Holzhausen ; Maria Laura Costa do Nascimento
• Associated research grant: 14/19138-5 - Ocular tissue biobank implementation and investigation of new pathophysiological mechanisms of anterior segment eye diseases, AP.JP
• Associated scholarship(s): 23/16906-0 - OCULAR AND PERINATAL TISSUES AS CELL SOURCES IN GOOD LABORATORY PRACTICES FOR BIOPRINTING APPLICATIONS IN OCULAR SURFACE DISEASES, BP.PD; 24/04579-8 - Isolation, characterization and production of limbal stem cells for application on eye surface diseases, BP.IC; 24/06205-8 - Evaluation of the profile of patients with ocular surface disease using blood components as a tear substitute., BP.IC; + associated scholarships 24/02151-0 - Implementation of Microbiological Quality Control for Advanced Therapy Products related to Ocular Surface Diseases, BP.TT; 23/07038-5 - Evaluation of different production and storage techniques for blood components eye drops as a proposal for treating ocular surface diseases, BP.PD; 23/10423-8 - Processing and standardization for post-removal transport of freeze-dried and cryopreserved amniotic membrane in comparative studies for the treatment of ocular surface diseases., BP.IC; 23/07094-2 - Identification, characterization, and production of amniotic membrane-derived stem cells for application in ocular surface diseases, BP.PD; 22/07427-9 - Contribution of the Analysis of Mesenchymal Stem Cell Secretoma of the Human Amniotic Membrane in the Therapeutic Approach to Ocular Surface Diseases, BP.TT; 22/07884-0 - Wound Healing Assay contribution in the validation of biological eye drops as advanced therapy products for dry eye disease, BP.TT - associated scholarships

Abstract

Ocular surface diseases (OSD) are the most frequent causes of seeking for eye care. It comprises heterogeneous group of diseases, which have in common the presence of at least one of the following characteristics: change in the composition of the tear film, eyelid changes, destruction of limbic stem cells, inflammatory process and changes in corneal innervation. Examples of OSD of potential severity: severe dry eye - which includes Stevens - Johnson syndrome (SSJ), Sjögren's syndrome and Graft Versus Host Disease (GVHD), chemical burns and neurotrophic keratitis. Treatment remains a challenge. Therapeutic approaches routinely used in clinical practice promote inflammatory control and tear film supplementation, in an attempt to improve epithelial healing and patients' comfort. However, there are several limitations and associated side effects. New techniques using cell therapy appear as innovative options. (AU)

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

BARQUILHA, CAROLINE NASCIMENTO; RISSO, MARIANE APARECIDA; NUNES HOLZHAUSEN, HELGA CAPUTO; GASPARINI, MATHEUS SCHWENGBER; DE CAMARGO, MARIANA MIGUEL; NOBREGA, GUILHERME DE MORAES; COSTA DO NASCIMENTO, MARIA LAURA; DE AZEVEDO, RAFAEL JUNIOR; MIGLIORINI FIGUEIRA, ANA CAROLINA; ALVES, MONICA. Isolation method of mesenchymal stromal cells from human amniotic membrane with xeno-free reagents to pre-clinical and clinical ophthalmological application. INVESTIGATIVE OPHTHALMOLOGY & VISUAL SCIENCE, v. 65, n. 7, p. 3-pg., 2024-06-01. (21/04045-5)

HOLZHAUSEN, HELGA; BARQUILHA, CAROLINE NASCIMENTO; RISSO, MARIANE APARECIDA; DE AZEVEDO, RAFAEL JUNIOR; DA SILVA HORINOUCHI, CINTHIA DELAI; MIGLIORINI FIGUEIRA, ANA CAROLINA; ALVES, MONICA. Isolation method of limbal stem cells from donor scleral-corneal ring after corneal transplantation. INVESTIGATIVE OPHTHALMOLOGY & VISUAL SCIENCE, v. 65, n. 7, p. 3-pg., 2024-06-01. (21/04045-5)

RISSO, MARIANE APARECIDA; BARQUILHA, CAROLINE NASCIMENTO; NUNES HOLZHAUSEN, HELGA CAPUTO; GROSS, LUISA GRAVE; DE AZEVEDO, RAFAEL JUNIOR; HARB, SAMARAH VARGAS; LEME, KRISSIA CAROLINE; LUZO, ANGELA; MIGLIORINI FIGUEIRA, ANA CAROLINA; ALVES, MONICA. Comparative Analysis of Platelet -Rich Plasma and Platelet -Rich Fibrin Gels as Advanced Therapy Medicinal Products for Ophthalmic Applications. INVESTIGATIVE OPHTHALMOLOGY & VISUAL SCIENCE, v. 65, n. 7, p. 4-pg., 2024-06-01. (21/04045-5, 23/07038-5)