What question did this study set out to answer?

This study aims to evaluate how limbal mesenchymal stem cell secretome (LMSC-S) affects extracellular matrix degradation following phacoemulsification-induced corneal endothelial damage.

April 20, 2026BMC Ophthalmology0 citationsOpen Access

Delayed Limbal mesenchymal stem cell secretome therapy attenuates NF-κB, IL-8, and MMP-9 expression following phacoemulsification-induced corneal endothelial damage

DHDicky Hermawan EKEvelyn Komaratih ISI. Ketut Sudiana

Key Points

This study aims to evaluate how limbal mesenchymal stem cell secretome (LMSC-S) affects extracellular matrix degradation following phacoemulsification-induced corneal endothelial damage.
Included 36 eyes from 32 New Zealand white rabbits
Divided into normal, control, and treatment groups
Administered LMSC-S either simultaneously or 3 days after phacoemulsification
Examined expression of NF-κB, IL-8, and MMP-9 using immunohistochemistry
Measured IL-8 levels in aqueous humor using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.
Significant decrease in NF-κB, IL-8, and MMP-9 expression in treatment group compared to controls
MMP-9 expression correlated positively with IL-8 and NF-κB levels and negatively with LMSC-S administration
Delayed administration of LMSC-S was more effective in reducing MMP-9 expression than simultaneous treatment.

Abstract

The limbal mesenchymal stem cell secretome (LMSC-S) contains anti-inflammatory cytokines that suppress extracellular matrix (ECM) degradation in phacoemulsification-damaged corneal endothelial cells. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of LMSC-S on post- phacoemulsification ECM degradation. Thirty-six eyes from 32 New Zealand white rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) were included. The normal group (N) comprised neither exposed nor treated eyes. Control group 1 (C1) served as the control for treatment group 1 (T1), where LMSC-S was administered simultaneously with phacoemulsification. Control group 2 (C2) served as the control for treatment group 2 (T2), which underwent LMSC-S administration 3 days after phacoemulsification. In this study, exposure to ultrasound from a phacoemulsification machine damaged corneal endothelial cells. Nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-κB), interleukin-8 (IL-8), and matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) expression in macrophages was measured by immunohistochemistry (IHC) and IL-8 level in the aqueous humor was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The comparison of NF-κB macrophage expression between groups C2-T2 (p < 0.001); IL-8 macrophage between groups C1-T1 (p = 0.04) and C2-T2 (p = 0.002); MMP-9 macrophage between groups C1-T1 (p = 0.03) and C2-T2 (p = 0.002) showed a significant difference. NF-κB, IL-8, and MMP-9 macrophage expression level in the T2 group was closest to that in the N group. MMP-9 macrophage expression following LMSC-S administration on the third day post-phacoemulsification correlated strongly and positively with IL-8 macrophage expression (β = 0.861; p < 0.001), NF-κB macrophage expression (β = 0.896; p < 0.001), and LMSC-S administration (β = -0.978; p < 0.001). In this experimental animal model, LMSC-S administration three days post-phacoemulsification reduced MMP-9 expression more effectively than simultaneous administration. However, the therapeutic potential of LMSC-Ss requires further human validation.

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Cite This Study

Hermawan et al. (Sat,) studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/69e5c2d003c2939914028cfb https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1186/s12886-026-04817-6

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