An in vitro comparison of human corneal epithelial cell activity and inflammatory response on differently designed ocular amniotic membranes and a clinical case study

• Published in: Journal of biomedical materials research. Part B, Applied biomaterials Vol. 111; no. 3; pp. 684 - 700
• Main Authors: Mao, Yong, Protzman, Nicole M., John, Nikita, Kuehn, Adam, Long, Desiree, Sivalenka, Raja, Junka, Radoslaw A., Shah, Anish U., Gosiewska, Anna, Hariri, Robert J., Brigido, Stephen A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Hoboken, USA John Wiley & Sons, Inc 01.03.2023; Wiley Subscription Services, Inc
• Subjects: Amnion - metabolism; Amniotic membrane; anterior basement membrane dystrophy; Biocompatibility; Biological properties; biomaterial; Biomaterials; Biomedical materials; Case studies; Cell Adhesion; Cellular structure; Cornea; Cryopreservation; decellularized scaffold; Dehydration; Dystrophy; Epithelial Cells; Epithelium; Extracellular matrix; Eye; Gene expression; human amniotic membrane; human ocular epithelial cells; Humans; Inflammation; Inflammatory response; Materials research; Materials science; Mechanical properties; Membranes; ocular surface; Ophthalmology; Polymerase chain reaction; Tumor necrosis factor; human amniotic membrane; biomaterial; anterior basement membrane dystrophy; decellularized scaffold; human ocular epithelial cells; ocular surface
• ISSN: 1552-4973; 1552-4981
• DOI: 10.1002/jbm.b.35186

Amniotic membrane (AM) is a naturally derived biomaterial with biological and mechanical properties important to Ophthalmology. The epithelial side of the AM promotes epithelialization, while the stromal side regulates inflammation. However, not all AMs are equal. AMs undergo different processing with resultant changes in cellular content and structure. This study evaluates the effects of sidedness and processing on human corneal epithelial cell (HCEC) activity, the effect of processing on HCEC inflammatory response, and then a case study is presented. Three differently processed, commercially available ocular AMs were selected: (1) Biovance®3L Ocular, a decellularized, dehydrated human AM (DDHAM), (2) AMBIO2®, a dehydrated human AM (DHAM), and (3) AmnioGraft®, a cryopreserved human AM (CHAM). HCECs were seeded onto the AMs and incubated for 1, 4 and 7 days. Cell adhesion and viability were evaluated using alamarBlue assay. HCEC migration was evaluated using a scratch wound assay. An inflammatory response was induced by TNF‐α treatment. The effect of AM on the expression of pro‐inflammatory genes in HCECs was compared using quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). Staining confirmed complete decellularization and the absence of nuclei in DDHAM. HCEC activity was best supported on the stromal side of DDHAM. Under inflammatory stimulation, DDHAM promoted a higher initial inflammatory response with a declining trend across time. Clinically, DDHAM was used to successfully treat anterior basement membrane dystrophy. Compared with DHAM and CHAM, DDHAM had significant positive effects on the cellular activities of HCECs in vitro, which may suggest greater ocular cell compatibility in vivo.