Allergic rhinitis is a highly prevalent chronic inflammatory disorder of the nasal mucosa that poses a significant burden on patients' health and quality of life. Current therapies for allergic rhinitis are unable to reinstate immune homeostasis or are restricted by specific allergens. Potential therapeutic strategies for allergic rhinitis are urgently needed. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are immune-privileged, have strong immunomodulatory effects, and can be easily isolated from various sources. Thus, MSC-based therapies demonstrate potential for treating inflammatory diseases. Recently, numerous studies have investigated the therapeutic effects of MSCs in animal models of allergic rhinitis. Here, we review the immunomodulatory effects and mechanisms of MSCs on allergic airway inflammation, especially allergic rhinitis, highlight the recent research regarding MSCs in the modulation of immune cells, and discuss the clinical potential of MSC-based therapy for allergic rhinitis.

Introduction Cataract extraction could improve visual acuity (VA) for patients with retinitis pigmentosa (RP), while the surgery may increase photoreceptor degeneration through light damage. In this study, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to investigate the effectiveness and prediction of VA after cataract surgery in patients with RP. Methods We comprehensively extracted data from literature of available studies with quality control processing. Improvement of VA before and after cataract surgery of different durations of follow-up and different structural integrity of the preoperative macular ellipsoid zone (EZ) in patients with RP were compared. VA was measured by the logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution (logMAR). Results Sixteen studies were subjected to analysis. Postoperative VA was significantly improved versus preoperative, with a mean difference (MD) of 0.57 [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.45, 0.69], and a fixed-effect model was applied during follow-up durations of 1 day to 1 month (I-2 = 0%). Similarly, for follow-up durations of 1-3 months, 3-6 months, and 6-12 months, postoperative VAs were all better than preoperative values, with MDs of 0.36 (95% CI 0.31, 0.41), 0.35 (95% CI 0.23, 0.46), and 0.22 (95% CI 0.14, 0.30) (I-2 < 50%). For follow-up duration of 1-5 years, the random-effect model was applied for higher heterogeneity (I-2 = 81%), with an MD of 0.26 (95% CI 0.09, 0.43). There was no significant difference in the improvement of the EZ-invisible group, with an MD of 0.27 (95% CI - 0.17, 0.70) (I-2 = 82%). There were significant differences between EZ-abnormal and EZ-normal groups in preoperative and postoperative VA, with MDs of 0.56 (95% CI 0.27, 0.85) and 0.46 (95% CI 0.27, 0.65) (I-2 > 50%). Conclusions Cataract surgery could improve VA for patients with RP during long-term follow-up, and the surgery is not recommended for patients with invisible preoperative macular EZ. However, further studies are required to address the problem of excessive light exposure to the degenerated retina in patients with RP with the cataract removed. The study protocol was registered on the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO) (CRD42022340165).

Glaucoma is a group of irreversible blinding eye diseases characterized by the progressive loss of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) and their axons. Currently, there is no effective method to fundamentally resolve the issue of RGC degeneration. Recent advances have revealed that visual function recovery could be achieved with stem cell-based therapy by replacing damaged RGCs with cell transplantation, providing nutritional factors for damaged RGCs, and supplying healthy mitochondria and other cellular components to exert neuroprotective effects and mediate transdifferentiation of autologous retinal stem cells to accomplish endogenous regeneration of RGC. This article reviews the recent research progress in the above-mentioned fields, including the breakthroughs in the fields of in vivo transdifferentiation of retinal endogenous stem cells and reversal of the RGC aging phenotype, and discusses the obstacles in the clinical translation of the stem cell therapy.

Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), reprogrammed from human somatic cells, hold the capacity to differentiate into most human body cells. iPSCs can be differentiated into retinal organoids, a three-dimensional structured retina containing various retinal cells. Patient-specific retinal organoids provide a powerful disease model to recapitulate the disease to study the pathogenesis of inherited retinal dystrophies, to screen or discover new drugs, and most importantly to supply an unlimited cell source for retinal regeneration.

Glaucoma, a neurodegenerative disease that leads to irreversible vision loss, is characterized by progressive loss of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) and optic axons. To date, elevated intraocular pressure (IOP) has been recognized as the main phenotypic factor associated with glaucoma. However, some patients with normal IOP also have glaucomatous visual impairment and RGC loss. Unfortunately, the underlying mechanisms behind such cases remain unclear. Recent studies have suggested that retinal glia play significant roles in the initiation and progression of glaucoma. Multiple types of glial cells are activated in glaucoma. Microglia, for example, act as critical mediators that orchestrate the progression of neuroinflammation through pro-inflammatory cytokines. In contrast, macroglia (astrocytes and Muller cells) participate in retinal inflammatory responses as modulators and contribute to neuroprotection through the secretion of neurotrophic factors. Notably, research results have indicated that intricate interactions between microglia and macroglia might provide potential therapeutic targets for the prevention and treatment of glaucoma. In this review, we examine the specific roles of microglia and macroglia in open-angle glaucoma, including glaucoma in animal models, and analyze the interaction between these two cell types. In addition, we discuss potential treatment options based on the relationship between glial cells and neurons.

Glaucoma is a group of irreversible blinding eye diseases characterized by the progressive loss of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) and their axons. Currently, there is no effective method to fundamentally resolve the issue of RGC degeneration. Recent advances have revealed that visual function recovery could be achieved with stem cell-based therapy by replacing damaged RGCs with cell transplantation, providing nutritional factors for damaged RGCs, and supplying healthy mitochondria and other cellular components to exert neuroprotective effects and mediate transdifferentiation of autologous retinal stem cells to accomplish endogenous regeneration of RGC. This article reviews the recent research progress in the above-mentioned fields, including the breakthroughs in the fields of in vivo transdifferentiation of retinal endogenous stem cells and reversal of the RGC aging phenotype, and discusses the obstacles in the clinical translation of the stem cell therapy.