Human Serum Eye Drops in Eye Alterations: An Insight and a Critical Analysis

Abstract

Human serum contains a physiological plethora of bioactive elements naturally released by activated platelets which might have a significant effect on the regeneration of corneal layers by stimulating the cell growth. This mechanism supported the use of human serum eye drops in some ocular diseases associated with dystrophic changes and alterations of the tear film, such as persistent corneal epithelial defects and dry eye syndrome. We focused our effort on potential benefits and limitations of the use of human serum eye drops when conventional therapies failed. We reviewed the recent literature by reporting published studies from 2010 to 2014. Despite the limited evaluated study populations, most of the clinical studies have confirmed that serum eye drop therapy is effective in corneal healing by reducing ocular symptom, particularly during the short-term follow-up. In addition, three recent published studies have shown the efficacy of the serum eye drop therapy in comparison to traditional ones in intractable patients. Besides, reported ongoing clinical studies confirmed the open debate regarding the use of biologic tools for cornea regeneration. Results from these studies might open novel challenges and perspectives in the therapy of such refractory patients.

Use of a nictitating membrane flap for treatment of feline acute corneal hydrops—21 eyes

“…Flaps were placed with 4‐0 or 5‐0 monofilament nylon; stent material included sterile intravenous tubing, red rubber tubing, or sterile rubber bands. In a subset of patients ( n = 5) seen by the same ophthalmologist, the bulbar side of the nictitating membrane was debrided with a blade prior to placement to provide serum proteins and growth factors to the corneal surface …”

MG53 promotes corneal wound healing and mitigates fibrotic remodeling in rodents

“…Corneal wounds can be treated with topical antibiotics, tear substitutes, and contact lenses; however, at best, many of these traditional treatments only address one aspect of the corneal healing process. Even advanced corneal treatment strategies, such as growth factor derived products or autologous serum, have had limited clinical success, particularly with respect to reducing fibrosis and angiogenesis 29,30 . Here, we provide evidence that MG53 offers dual functionality to improve corneal healing outcomes by improving epithelial viability and reducing the fibrotic stromal response.…”

“…This finding suggests that topical application of exogenous rhMG53 protein as a potential therapy for corneal wound healing is not likely to cause adverse effects. Autologous serum has been used for treatment of various corneal diseases, and the beneficial effects were largely attributed to growth factors and cytokines 29,30 . While growth factors can promote healing of the corneal epithelium, they may also have side effects.…”

“…While growth factors can promote healing of the corneal epithelium, they may also have side effects. For example, serum TGF-β may promote fibrotic remodeling of the cornea, and cytokines, such as IL-6, IL-1β, and TNF-α, can cause corneal inflammation 29,30 . We have previously demonstrated that MG53 is present in blood serum derived from both rodents and humans 17,19 .…”

Stabilization of eye drops containing autologous serum and recombinant human epidermal growth factor for dry eye syndrome

“…At low centrifugation speeds, the platelet membrane will mix in the supernatant, and at high speeds, it will induce apoptosis. [ 17 18 19 ]…”