AIM:To investigate the neuroprotective effect of vitreous cavity transplantation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells on rat glaucoma model.

METHODS: Rat primary bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells were extracted and identified; Lewis rats were randomly divided into 3 groups: Control group, Glaucoma group and bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell group(BMMSCs group), and rat glaucoma model were made: the left eye was the experimental eye(glaucoma), the right eye is the control eye, and identified them. Then vitreous cavity transplantation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells were performed; HE staining was used to observe the morphology of the retina; The number of retinal ganglion cells was detected by immunofluorescence; TUNEL staining was used to observe the apoptosis of retinal ganglion cells; The expression of IGF1 and BDNF protein in retinal tissue was detected by Western blot.

RESULTS: The intraocular pressure of the experimental eyes of the rats was significantly higher than that of the control eyes(P<0.01), indicating that the glaucoma rat models were successfully constructed; In the Glaucoma group, the retinal nerve fibers were irregularly arranged, the number of retinal ganglion cells and retinal thickness were significantly lower than that of the control group(P<0.01), and the number of apoptosis of retinal ganglion cells was significantly higher than that of the control group(P<0.001); The retinal nerve fiber cells in the BMMSCs group were arranged neatly. The number of retinal ganglion cells and retinal thickness were significantly higher than those in the Glaucoma group(P<0.05), and the number apoptosis of retinal ganglion cells was significantly lower than that of Glaucoma group(P<0.01); The expression of IGF1 and BDNF in the retina of the Glaucoma group was significantly lower than that in the control group(P<0.01), the expression of IGF1 and BDNF in the retina of the BMMSCs group was higher than that in the Glaucoma group(P<0.05).

CONCLUSION:Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell vitreous cavity transplantation can improve glaucoma in rats and protect retinal ganglion cells.