Mesenchymal Stem Cell Administration in Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: State of the Science

Abstract

Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) have chronic, irreversible airway inflammation; currently, there is no effective or curative treatment and the main goals of COPD management are to mitigate symptoms and improve patients' quality of life. Stem cell based therapy offers a promising therapeutic approach that has shown potential in diverse degenerative lung diseases. Preclinical studies have demonstrated encouraging outcomes of mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (MSCs) therapy for lung disorders including emphysema, bronchopulmonary dysplasia, fibrosis, and acute respiratory distress syndrome. This review summarizes available data on 15 studies currently registered by the ClinicalTrials.gov repository, which used different stem cell therapy protocols for COPD; these included bone marrow mononuclear cells (BMMCs), bone marrow-derived MSCs, adipose-derived stem/stromal cells (ADSCs), and adipose-derived MSCs. Published results of three trials indicate that administering BMMCs or MSCs in the setting of degenerative lung disease is safe and may improve patients' condition and quality of life; however, larger-scale studies are needed to evaluate efficacy. Results of another completed trial (NCT01872624) are not yet published, and eleven other studies are ongoing; these include MSCs therapy in emphysema, several studies of ADSCs in COPD, another in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, and plerixafor mobilization of CD117 stem cells to peripheral blood.

Aging and pulmonary emphysema: Current issues

“…This new treatment modality for COPD patients is currently tested on clinical trials, varying in distinct stages of COPD, route of injection, type and dosage of cells, and outcomes [45]. MSCs show profound suppressive effects on immune cells and pathways, recent studies have indicated that MSCs suppress lung injury and inflammation in mouse models of inflammatory and immune mediated lung diseases [46].…”

Diagnostic and clinical course of pulmonary interstitial glycogenosis: The tip of the iceberg

“…It is hypothesized that mesenchymal cells may provide antiinflammatory benefits or regenerative capability to more frequent conditions such as pulmonary fibrosis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and pulmonary arterial hypertension. [16][17][18] Understanding the role of mesenchymal cells in PIG may also have implications for these other diseases. Conversely, PIG may benefit from some of the advances in these other diseases but in vitro and in vivo models are required to safely test new therapies before introducing these therapies to infants.…”

“…It is hypothesized that mesenchymal cells may provide anti‐inflammatory benefits or regenerative capability to more frequent conditions such as pulmonary fibrosis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and pulmonary arterial hypertension . Understanding the role of mesenchymal cells in PIG may also have implications for these other diseases.…”

Role of Mesenchymal Stem Cells in the Treatment of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (Review)

“…В связи с этим, активно ведётся разработка новых методов лечения ХОБЛ, основанных на применении таргетных лекарственных молекул и клеточной терапии, в частности, мезенхимальных стволовых клеток (МСК). Эксперименты по применению МСК для лечения хронических заболеваний бронхолёгочной системы показывают перспективность терапевтического использования МСК в терапии ХОБЛ [12,41,46,52]. МСК -плюрипотентные стволовые клетки, содержа-щиеся, главным образом, в костном мозге, способные к дифференцировке в различные ткани.…”