👤 Marina Buzzi

Eye drops derived from human blood components (Eye Drops of Human Origin-EDHO) have proven effective in reducing ocular pain associated with severe keratopathies. Among these, Cord Blood Serum (CBS) is particularly promising for its high content of growth and neurotrophic factors. This study evaluated the ability of CBS to modulate inflammatory and nociceptive activation in the human conjunctival epithelial cell (HCEC) line exposed to hyperosmotic stress. CBS batches were characterized for brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) content and classified as CBS Show less

To evaluate the safety, tolerability, and potential functional signals associated with cord blood serum (CBS) eye drops as adjunctive treatment in patients with open-angle glaucoma (OAG) already under intraocular pressure (IOP)-lowering therapy. In this monocentric prospective pilot study, 20 OAG patients (37 eyes) received topical CBS eye drops 8 times daily for 60 days, in addition to their standard hypotensive therapy. Ophthalmic evaluations were performed at baseline (V1), end of treatment (V4), and 60 days after discontinuation (V5), and included best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), IOP, visual field (VF), pattern electroretinography (PERG), and retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness. Statistical analyses assessed changes in functional and structural parameters. The treatment was well tolerated, with no adverse events and no significant changes in IOP or BCVA. Visual field mean deviation (MD), PERG parameters, and RNFL thickness showed non-significant variations across visits. A statistically significant RNFL thinning was observed in the infero-temporal sector between V1 and V4, although likely due to outlier effects. Linear mixed model analysis showed a significant increase in N95 amplitude at V5 compared to V4 when baseline MD was considered as a covariate. CBS eye drops were safe and well tolerated in this glaucoma population. Although no statistically significant functional or structural improvement was observed, some exploratory signals suggest potential neuroretinal involvement that warrants further investigation in larger, controlled studies. Show less

Neuroprotection represents a promising approach for mitigating retinal degeneration. Cord blood serum (CBS), rich in trophic factors such as the brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), has shown therapeutic potential for ocular surface diseases; however, its role in retinal neuroprotection remains underexplored. This study evaluates the protective effects of CBS on retinal pigment epithelium (ARPE-19) and photoreceptor-like (661W) cells exposed to oxidative stress. Cells were cultured in media supplemented with fetal bovine serum (FBS) or CBS with either high (CBS-H) or low (CBS-L) BDNF content. Oxidative stress was induced using hydrogen peroxide (H Show less

Oxidative stress and inflammation determine retinal ganglion cell degeneration, leading to retinal impairment and vision loss. Müller glial cells regulate retinal repair under injury, through gliosis. Meanwhile, reactive gliosis can turn in pathological effects, contributing to neurodegeneration. In the present study, we tested whether Cord Blood Serum (CBS), rich of growth factors, might improve the viability of Müller cells under in vitro damage. BDNF, NGF, TGF-α, GDNF and EGF levels were measured in CBS samples by Human Magnetic Luminex Assay. CBS effects were evaluated on rat (rMC-1) and human (MIO-M1) Müller cells, under H2O2 and IL-1β damage. Cells grown with FBS or CBS both at 5% were exposed to stress and analyzed in terms of cell viability, GFAP, IL-6 and TNF-α expression. CBS was also administrated after treatment with K252a, inhibitor of the neurotrophin receptor Trk. Cell viability of rMC-1 and MIO-M1 resulted significantly improved when pretreated with CBS and exposed to H2O2 and IL-1β, in comparison to the standard culture with FBS. Accordingly, the gliosis marker GFAP resulted down-regulated following CBS priming. In parallel, we observed a lower expression of the inflammatory mediators in rMC-1 (TNF-α) and MIO-M1 (IL-6, TNF- α), especially in presence of inflammatory damage. Trk inhibition through K252a administration impaired the effects of CBS under stress conditions on MIO-M1 and rMC-1 viability, not significantly different from FBS condition. CBS is enriched with neurotrophins and its administration to rMC-1 and MIO-M1 attenuates the cytotoxic effects of H2O2 and IL-1β. Moreover, the decrease of the main markers of gliosis and inflammation suggests a promising use of CBS for neuroprotection aims. This study is a preliminary basis that prompts future investigations to deeply explore and confirm the CBS potential. Show less