Figure 7.

Transplanted hESC-RPE Cells Provide Functional Retinal Rescue in the Absence of Systemic Immunosuppression

(A) Color fundus photographs show subretinal grafts of pigmented cells (marked by arrows) in RCS rats in the presence (upper image) or absence (lower image) of systemic cyclosporine immunosuppression 5–6 weeks post-transplantation.

(B) Mean b-wave amplitudes in response to white flashes of increasing intensity. The mean b-wave amplitudes were significantly higher both in cyclosporine-treated (red line) and non-treated (green line) animals compared with non-transplanted fellow eyes (red and green dashed lines, respectively).

(C) Representative H&E-stained retinal sections show relative preservation of photoreceptors layer (ONL) in proximity to subretinal RPE grafts in cyclosporine-treated and non-treated animals, in comparison with a thinner ONL in a non-transplanted eye.

(D) Anti-GFP immunostaining show presence of transplanted cells in the subretinal space of RCS rats either treated or untreated with systemic immunosuppression.

(E) ELISA analysis of the peripheral blood IL-10 levels in RCS rats 4–5 weeks post-transplantation. Levels of anti-inflammatory interleukin IL-10 were statistically higher in non-cyclosporine group compared with the cyclosporine-treated group and non-transplanted control. ^∗p ≤ 0.05.

Data are presented as means ± SEM of at least 3 independent experiments.