Aims: To investigate whether allogeneic limbal mesenchymal stem cell (LMSC) therapy affects corneal healing after a severe chemical burn and whether the route of administration of LMSCs differs in its therapeutic effect in this respect. Methods: A total of 60 Sprague-Dawley rats with clinically proven alkali injury were divided into four equal groups (n = 15) as follows: group 1: 2 × 10⁵ cells/drop LMSCs, topically applied 6 times a day for 2 days; group 2: 2.4 × 10⁶ cells in 0.5 ml LMSCs, subconjunctivally applied; group 3: 2.4 × 10⁶ cells in 1 ml LMSCs, intraperitoneally applied, and group 4: no LMSC treatment. The groups were compared according to grades of corneal opacity (CO), corneal neovascularization (CNV) and corneal fluorescein staining (CFS). The migration of LMSCs into the cornea and the inflammatory characteristics of the groups were evaluated with BrdU (5-bromo-2′-deoxyuridine bromodeoxyuridine) immunostaining and histopathologically in a 4-week follow-up. Results: There were statistically significant differences between the LMSC-treated and control groups in each week regarding mean CO scores and in the 3rd week regarding the mean CNV and CFS scores (p < 0.05). The statistical significance was due to the differences between the topical and the control group and between the subconjunctival and the control group. BrdU+ LMSCs were seen in the corneal epithelium of the all LMSC-administered rats, and fewer inflammatory changes were observed in these rats. Conclusion: Allogeneic LMSC treatment, especially topical and subconjunctival administration, seems to be helpful in affecting corneal healing after a severe corneal burn.

Objetivo. El objetivo de este estudio fue presentar los métodos de diagnóstico y tratamiento de un gato con hematuria y estranguria al que se le diagnosticó un cuerpo extraño dentro de la vejiga urinaria. Materiales y métodos. Un gato macho castrado de raza mixta de 1 año de edad se presentó con polaquiuria y hematuria. El examen abdominal reveló una vejiga urinaria contráctil y dolorosa. Resultados. El examen ecográfico abdominal demostró un cuerpo extraño lineal (sonda urinaria) en la luz de la vejiga. Se realizó una cistotomía de línea media estándar y se extrajo un catéter urinario de 6 cm de largo de la vejiga. El gato se recuperó sin problemas. La presencia de cuerpos extraños en la vejiga urinaria es rara en la práctica veterinaria. Conclusiones. El examen ecográfico de la vejiga urinaria proporciona información valiosa sobre la cistitis relacionada con cuerpos extraños en los gatos.

Zinc treatment seems to be protective against RAI-induced lacrimal gland damage of rats, particularly in the acute period.

Keratoconjunctivitis Sicca (KCS), also known as “dry eye syndrome”, is a common ocular disease in dogs, caused by inflammation of the lacrimal gland, resulting in decreased tear production. Efforts are being made to develop alternative therapies in order to prevent lifelong use of drugs for patients with KCS. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are known to be effective in the treatment of many immune-mediated diseases in human and animal models due to their immunoregulatory properties. The aim of this study was to transplant limbal mesenchymal stem cells (LMSCs) to the ocular surface on contact lenses and to evaluate the therapeutic effects of the LMSCs by clinical examination findings. The animals were randomly divided into study and control groups. The LMSC group (n = 10) received LMSCs (at least 2×106 cells) cultured on contact lenses. The conventional treatment group (n = 10) received artificial tears, topical 0.05% Cs A, and antibiotic eye drops, 3 times a day for 4 weeks. The Schirmer test, tear break-up time, impression cytology, Rose Bengal staining, and tear osmolarity were measured in all patients. The findings of the pre-treatment, two weeks and four weeks after the treatment, were evaluated statistically. In both groups, significant improvement was present compared to the pre-treatment findings. However, there was no significant difference between the groups. KCS treatment using LMSCs produced on contact lenses is promising, with its ease of application, non-immunogenic properties and single dose administration.

Cardiotoxicity is one of the most common side effects of doxorubicin (DOX), a chemotherapy drug used in the treatment of many carcinomas. In recent years, stem-cell therapies have been successfully used to prevent cardiotoxicity. This study investigated the efficacy of intraperitoneally administered fetal kidney-derived mesenchymal stem cells (FKD-MSCs) in preventing DOX-induced cardiotoxicity in rats. For this purpose, thirty rats were randomly divided into three groups: control, DOX and mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) groups. Adriamycin was injected as a single dose via the tail vein in the DOX and MSC groups in order to induce cardiotoxicity. FKD-MSC was applied to the MSC group by the intraperitoneal route after cardiotoxicity had been established. Then the rats were euthanized, and routine histological procedures were performed on their hearts. H&E and Masson’s stains were used for histopathology. Cardiac Troponin-T and I (cTnT, cTnI), Caspase-3 and BCL-XL antibodies were used for immunohistochemistry. Vacuoles, edema, degeneration and necrosis were observed histopathologically mostly in the DOX group. Lesions in the control and MSC groups were less severe. Fibrosis in the control and MSC groups was milder. cTnT and cTnI immunopositive staining was most commonly seen in the control group, followed by the MSC group. Immunohistochemical staining by Caspase-3 and BCL-XL showed that their expressions in the MSC group were statistically similar to those in the control group. Accordingly, it was concluded that the intraperitoneal application of MSC had a positive effect on histopathological findings, fibrosis, immunohistochemistry, especially apoptosis, neovascularization, and anti-apoptotic development, whereas troponin levels were not found to be therapeutic.