fig5

Figure 5. Functional, structural, and systemic safety assessment of T-sEV therapy in a NaIO₃-induced murine model of retinal degeneration. (A) Experimental timeline outlining key procedures: induction of retinal degeneration, IVT injection of PBS, sEV, or T-sEV on day 3, and final analysis on day 7; (B) Representative electroretinogram waveforms under different treatment conditions; (C and D) Quantitative analysis of a-wave (C) and b-wave (D) amplitudes (n = 3, 1 eye from each of 3 mice); (E) Representative OCT images of retinal morphology across treatment groups. Red arrows indicate hyperreflective foci located within the outer retinal layers. Scale bar: 200 μm; (F) Representative flow cytometry plots and (G) quantification of F4/80⁺CD11b⁺ macrophages in retinal tissues (n = 3 biologically independent samples); (H) IOP measurements following T-sEV administration (n = 3 biologically independent samples); (I) Hematological and serum biochemical parameters after T-sEV treatment (n = 3 biologically independent samples). Data in C, D, G, H, I are presented as mean ± SD. Statistical comparisons were performed using one-way ANOVA for panels C, D, and G, and two-tailed unpaired Student’s t-test for panels H and I. ^*P < 0.05; ^**P < 0.01; ^***P < 0.001; ^****P < 0.0001. Figure 5A was created with BioRender.com and its use complies with BioRender’s licensing agreement. NaIO₃: Sodium iodate; IP: intraperitoneal; MSC: mesenchymal stem cell; sEV: small extracellular vesicles; T-sEV: sEV derived from TNF-α-primed MSCs; PBS: phosphate-buffered saline; IVT: intravitreal; ERG: electroretinography; OCT: optical coherence tomography; IOP: intraocular pressure; CD: cluster of differentiation; RBC: red blood cells; WBC: white blood cells; ALT: alanine aminotransferase; AST: aspartate aminotransferase; PLT: platelets; ALP: alkaline phosphatase; BUN: blood urea nitrogen; LDH: lactate dehydrogenase; SD: standard deviation; ns: no significance.