AIM: To study the effect of bone mesenchymal stem cells(BMSCs)and chondroitinaseABC(ChABC)on photoreceptor apoptosis in the retina of sodium iodate-induced rats.

METHODS: Forty Sprague Dawley rats(SD rats)were intraperitoneally injected with NaIO₃ (30g/L, 100mg/kg)to establish the retinal degeneration models(postnatal 28d). These rats were devided into 4 groups. Group A was not injected, group B was injected with BMSCs, group C was injected with BMSCs and ChABC, and group D was injected with phosphate buffer saline(PBS). After 28d, subretinal injection were applied. Hematoxyln-eosinstaining(HE), tunel and immunohistochemistry were performed at 21d after subretinal injection.

RESULTS: Photoreceptor number and photoreceptor apoptosis rate of B and C groups were more than those of A and D groups, and there was significant difference statistically(P<0.05). Photoreceptor number and photoreceptor apoptosis rate of group B were compared with those of group C, and there was no statistical significance between B and C groups(P>0.05). Glial fibrillary acidic protein(GFAP)was expressed by BMSCs after intraocular injection.

CONCLUSION: BMSCs and ChABC injected into subretinal space may alleviate photoreceptor apoptosis so as to protect retinal photoreceptor cells in degenerated rats.