Chapter 9 - Preclinical and clinical applications of mesenchymal stem cell-based therapy in pulmonary diseases

Abstract

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are promising and recent player in cell-based therapy of many lung diseases. Preclinical studies have shown that MSCs have profound effects on immune cells that play a major role in the pathogenesis of many pulmonary diseases since they could remarkably modulate the proliferation, activity, and known effector functions of these immune cells. MSCs could, therefore, suppress both lung-infiltrated immune cells and detrimental immune responses. In addition, MSCs can potentially differentiate into alveolar epithelial cells in culture. Many lung diseases and injuries, including asthma, acute lung injury, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, could, therefore, be diminished using MSC-derived functional alveolar type II-like cells. Accordingly, in this chapter, we have summarized key findings obtained in both preclinical and clinical studies, which demonstrate MSCs beneficent effects in the therapy of major lung diseases. We have described the molecular mechanisms that underline MSC-based therapy of lung diseases, and how MSCs can be used for attenuating lung inflammation/injury and promoting the regeneration of injured pulmonary alveolar cells. We have also discussed MSC therapeutic potentials in treating major respiratory diseases, including ARDS, pneumonia, asthma, COPD, and lung fibrosis.