Figure 1.

Histological findings of the eye. (a) EAU was induced in mice on day 0, and either hMSCs (1 × 10⁶ cells in 100 μL BSS) or BSS (100 μL) were intraperitoneally (IP) injected immediately after EAU induction. On days 7, 14, and 21, the eyes or DLNs were collected for assays. (b) ELISA showed that IFN-γ in the eye was markedly increased in the eyeball on day 14 and significantly reduced by hMSCs. Data are presented in mean + SEM. n = 5 in each group. (c) Time course of histological disease scores demonstrated that the retinal pathology gradually developed with a peak at day 21. Histological scores were significantly lower in hMSCs-treated mice at all time-points, suggesting that hMSCs prevented the disease development. Data are presented in mean + SEM. n = 5 in each group. (d) Hematoxylin-eosin staining of the eye on day 21 showed severe disruption of the retinal structure including the photoreceptor layer with inflammatory cell infiltration in the vitreous cavity and in the retina of EAU mice. In contrast, the retinal structure was well-reserved, and few inflammatory cells were observed in EAU mice treated with hMSCs. (e) TUENL staining showed a number of dead cells in the disrupted photoreceptor layer of EAU mice. In contrast, no TUENL-positive cells were found in the retina of mice treated with hMSCs.