Antioxidant and biological properties of mesenchymal cells used for therapy in retinitis pigmentosa
Both tissue repair and regeneration are a priority in regenerative medicine. Retinitis
pigmentosa (RP), a complex retinal disease characterized by the progressive loss of impaired
photoreceptors, is currently lacking effective therapies: this represents one of the greatest challenges in
the field of ophthalmological research. Although this inherited retinal dystrophy is still an incurable
genetic disease, the oxidative damage is an important pathogenetic element that may represent a
viable target of therapy. In this review, we summarize the current neuroscientific evidence regarding
the effectiveness of cell therapies in RP, especially those based on mesenchymal cells, and we focus on
their therapeutic action: limitation of both oxidative stress and apoptotic processes triggered by the
disease and promotion of cell survival. Cell therapy could therefore represent a feasible therapeutic
option in RP.