Protective effects of low-molecular-weight components of adipose stem cell-derived conditioned medium on dry eye syndrome in mice

The present study demonstrated the protective effects of low-molecular-weight adipose-derived stem cell-conditioned medium (LADSC-CM) in a mouse model of dry eye syndrome. Mice subjected to desiccating stress and benzalkonium chloride had decreased tear secretion, impaired corneal epithelial tight junction with microvilli, and decreased conjunctival goblet cells. Topical application of adipose-derived stem cell-conditioned medium (ADSC-CM) stimulated lacrimal tear secretion, preserved tight junction and microvilli of the corneal epithelium, and increased the density of goblet cells and MUC16 expression in the conjunctiva. The low-molecular-weight fractions (< 10 kDa and < 3 kDa) of ADSC-CM (LADSC-CM) provided better protections than the > 10 kDa or > 3 kDa fractions of ADSC-CM. In the in vitro study, desiccation for 10 min or hyperosmolarity (490 osmols) for 24 h caused decreased viability of human corneal epithelial cells, which were reversed by LADSC-CM. The active ingredients in the LADSC-CM were lipophobic and stable after heating and lyophilization. Our study demonstrated that LADSC-CM had beneficial effects on experimental dry eye. It is worthy of further exploration for the active ingredient(s) and the mechanism.