Abstract
Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis is a progressive, irreversible, debilitating, and fatal lung disease, characterized by parenchymal fibrosis with reduced lung volumes and respiratory failure. No lasting option for therapy is available other than transplantation. Mesenchymal stem/stromal cells home to sites of injury, decrease inflammation, have antifibrotic properties, and promote epithelial tissue repair, so their use has been suggested as potential therapy for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. Despite reported benefits, the amount of mesenchymal stromal cells engrafting to the lung decreases substantially soon after administration. New strategies, such as hypoxia preconditioning, have thus been investigated in an attempt to optimize the engraftment, survival, and paracrine properties of stem cells. Hypoxia induces the expression of prosurvival mediators, chemoattractants, and growth factors involved in cell proliferation, migration, angiogenesis, antioxidant, antiapoptotic, and antifibrotic properties in mesenchymal stromal cells, optimizing their lung repair capability in an animal model of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.See related research by Lan et al., http://www.stemcellres.com/content/6/1/97
Highlights
Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a chronic, diffuse, fibrotic disease of the lung parenchyma of unknown etiology
In a recent issue of Stem Cell Research & Therapy, Lan et al [1] demonstrated that transplantation of hypoxia-preconditioned mesenchymal stem/ stromal cell (MSC) exerted better therapeutic effects in a mouse model of bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis and enhanced the survival rate of engrafted MSCs, partially due to upregulation of hepatocyte growth factor (HGF)
Hypoxia-preconditioned mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (HP-MSCs) attenuated bleomycin-induced cell apoptosis and extracellular matrix (ECM) production through transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1-mediated Akt signaling via paracrine effects
Summary
Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a chronic, diffuse, fibrotic disease of the lung parenchyma of unknown etiology. The significant shortage of suitable donor lungs and the many complications related to post-transplantation immunosuppression mean there is a dire need for new therapeutic approaches. In this context, mesenchymal stem/ stromal cell (MSC)-based therapy is a promising alternative for the treatment of lung diseases. In a recent issue of Stem Cell Research & Therapy, Lan et al [1] demonstrated that transplantation of hypoxia-preconditioned MSCs exerted better therapeutic effects in a mouse model of bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis and enhanced the survival rate of engrafted MSCs, partially due to upregulation of hepatocyte growth factor (HGF)
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