Research articleSynergistic effect of olfactory ensheathing cells and alpha-crystallin on restoration of adult rat optic nerve injury

- We study the synergistic effect of OECs and α-crystallin on the optic nerve regeneration.
- OECs transplantation could promoted RGCs survival and axonal regeneration.
- α-Crystallin vitreous injection could promoted RGCs survival and axonal regeneration.
- Compared with OECs or α-crystallin, the synergistic effect of OECs and α-crystallin on the optic nerve regeneration was much more striking.

Olfactory enshesathing cells (OECs) and α-crystallin all can promote axonal regeneration after optic nerve injury. However, their mechanisms were different. Here, we study the synergistic effect of OECs and α-crystallin on the optic nerve regeneration. α-Crystallin was injected into vitreous cavity, and OECs were transplanted to the optic nerve injury area. The regeneration length of optic nerve were measured by anterograde tracing using cholera toxin subunit B (CTB). The survival of RGCs were assessed by counting the numbers of βIII-tubulin-labeled RGCs in a retinal whole mount. The results that OECs and α-crystallin all could promoted RGCs survival and axonal regeneration (P < 0.01). Especially in the combination group, the length of axonal regeneration was 5.6 mm after optic nerve injury for 3 months. These findings indicated that compared to OECs and α-crystallin alone, the combination of OECs and α-crystallin could promote axonal regeneration more effectively.