Autologous Transplantation of Adipose Tissue-Derived Stromal Cells Ameliorates Pulmonary Emphysema

Abstract

Adipose tissue is a useful tool for management of most complex cardiothoracic problems, including the reinforcement of damaged lungs, and adipose tissuederived stromal cells (ASCs) have been suggested to secrete hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), a multipotent regenerative factor that contributes to the repair process after lung injury. The goal of this study was to demonstrate the therapeutic impact of autologous transplantation of ASCs through HGF supplementation for the enhancement of alveolar repair in a rat model of emphysema. ASCs were isolated from inguinal subcutaneous fat pads and characterized by flow cytometry. Cultured ASC were found to secrete significantly larger amounts of HGF (15 112 ± 1628 pg per 10 6 cells) than other angiogenic factors. Transplantation of ASCs into elastase-treated emphysema models induced a significant increase in endogenous HGF expression in lung tissues with a small amount of increase in other organs, with the high levels lasting for up to 4 weeks after transplantation. Further, alveolar and vascular regeneration were significantly enhanced via inhibition of alveolar cell apoptosis, enhancement of epithelial cell proliferation and promotion of angiogenesis in pulmonary vasculature, leading to restoration of pulmonary function affected by emphysema. These data suggest that autologous ASC cell therapy may have a therapeutic potential for pulmonary emphysema, through inducing HGF expression selectively in injured lung tissues.

Adipose Stem Cell Treatment in Mice Attenuates Lung and Systemic Injury Induced by Cigarette Smoking

“…Bone marrow (BM)-derived stem cells transplanted to the lungs can exhibit phenotypic and acquire functional markers of airway or alveolar epithelial cells, interstitial cells, and vascular endothelial cells (7). Potential lung protective and regenerative activities both of endothelial progenitor cells activated by the hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) and autologous ASC have been suggested in previous reports using an elastase-induced emphysema model (7,8). Based on these findings, we sought to investigate in the context of a CS model the regenerative…”

Adipose Tissue-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells as a New Host Cell in Latent Leishmaniasis

“…14 Although increased numbers of reports have been published on the effectiveness of ADMSCs in animal models and several phase III clinical trials, similar disease transmission risks can also be applicable in stem cell transplantations using adipose tissue and its cellular derivatives. 15 Although the phagocytic property of ADMSCs has been reported in one study, 16 to our knowledge, there have not been any studies that report the interaction between ADMSCs and Leishmania parasites. For this reason, in this study, the interaction between ADMSCs and the different types of Leishmania parasites have been investigated in vitro .…”

Stem cells and respiratory diseases

“…These cellbased therapies have been tested in a mouse model of emphysema induced by intratracheal elastase. The mechanism for this protective effect is not known but has been suggested by the authors to involve paracrine effects (such as the secretion of hepatocyte growth factor) rather than direct structural repair in view of the rarity of engrafted cells detected (Shigemura et al, 2006b). …”