From Adipose to Limbus: Deciphering the Paracrine Effects of MSC Secretomes on Oxidative Stress-Induced RPE Dysfunction

This study investigates the therapeutic potential of secretomes derived from Adipose-derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells (ADMSC-CM) and Limbal-derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells (LMSC-CM) against oxidative stress-induced damage in Retinal Pigment Epithelium (RPE-1) cells. RPE dysfunction, often triggered by oxidative stress, is a hallmark of various retinal degenerations. Here, we induced RPE-1 injury using H ₂ O ₂ and evaluated the restorative effects of both MSC-conditioned media (CM). Our results demonstrated that both ADMSC-CM and LMSC-CM significantly enhanced cell viability and successfully reversed H ₂ O ₂ -induced G2/M phase cell cycle arrest. While oxidative stress triggered a pro-inflammatory response characterized by elevated IL−1β, IL−6, and IL−10 expression, MSC-CM treatment, particularly ADMSC-CM, effectively modulated these levels and suppressed the p38 MAPK signaling pathway. Furthermore, MSC-CM reduced the Bax/Bcl-2 ratio, indicating an anti-apoptotic effect, and appeared to stabilize autophagic flux. To investigate the impact of oxidative-stress induced alterations in retinal pigment epithelial cells on angiogenesis, the effects of RPE-derived secreted factors on endothelial cell function were evaluated. Crucially, in terms of safety and secondary complications, neither secretome exhibited pro-angiogenic tendencies; instead, they significantly inhibited HUVEC migration and invasion compared to the H ₂ O ₂ damaged group. These findings suggest that both ADMSC and LMSC secretomes provide a potent multi-targeted therapeutic effect, making them promising candidates for cell-free therapies in retinal diseases.