Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Stem cell therapy for eye disease in horses
By Marfe, Gabriella et al.·Published in Journal of cellular physiology·2012·Department of Experimental Medicine and Biochemical Sciences, Italy·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Blood derived stem cells: an ameliorative therapy in veterinary ophthalmology.
- Species:
- horse
Plain-English summary
Researchers are exploring the use of stem cells from blood as a new treatment for eye diseases in horses, particularly for serious conditions like ulcerative keratitis, which can lead to vision loss if not treated quickly. In this study, four horses with eye issues, including corneal ulcers and one with retinal detachment, were treated with these stem cells. The results showed that the treatment helped reduce inflammation and improved the surface of the cornea in all cases. Overall, the stem cell therapy appeared to be effective in improving eye health in these horses.
Abstract
Stem cell technology has evoked considerable excitement among people interested in the welfare of animals, as it has suggested the potential availability of new tools for several pathologies, including eye disease, which in many cases is considered incurable. One such example is ulcerative keratitis, which is very frequent in horses. Because some of these corneal ulcers can be very severe, progress rapidly and, therefore, can be a possible cause of vision loss, it is important to diagnose them at an early stage and administer an appropriate treatment, which can be medical, surgical, or a combination of both. The therapeutic strategy should eradicate the infection in order to reduce or stop destruction of the cornea. In addition, it should support the corneal structures and control the uveal reaction, and the pain associated with it, in order to minimize scarring. In this study, we address how stem cells derived from peripheral blood can be used also in ophthalmological pathologies. Our results demonstrate that this treatment protocol improved eye disease in four horse cases, including corneal ulcers and one case of retinal detachment. In all cases, we detected a decrease in the intense inflammatory reaction as well as the restoration of the epithelial surface of the central cornea.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21792938/