Intrauterine Growth Restriction (IUGR) as a potential target for transamniotic stem cell therapy

Abstract

BackgroundWe sought to determine whether intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) could be a target for mesenchymal stem cell (MSC)-based transamniotic stem cell therapy (TRASCET). MethodsPregnant dams subjected to hypoxia (10.5% O2) cycles had their fetuses divided into four groups: untreated (n = 24) and three groups receiving volume-matched intra-amniotic injections of either saline (sham; n = 16), or suspensions of luciferase-labeled, syngeneic amniotic fluid-derived MSCs that were either native (TRASCET-unprimed; n = 29), or primed by exposure to IFNγ and IL-1β (TRASCET-primed; n = 31). Normal fetuses served as additional controls (n = 22). Multiple analyses were performed at term. ResultsCompared to normal, fetal weights were significantly decreased in all hypoxia groups (p = 0.002 to <0.001), except for TRASCET-primed. Placental efficiency (fetal/placental weight) was significantly decreased in all hypoxia groups (p = 0.002 to <0.001), but normalized in both TRASCET groups. A significant increase in metrial expression of IFNγ in both the untreated and sham groups (p = 0.04 to 0.02) was reversed only in the TRASCET-primed group. Luciferase DNA was present in both TRASCET groups’ placentas. ConclusionsTransamniotic stem cell therapy with primed mesenchymal stem cells reverses some of the effects of intrauterine growth restriction in a rat model. Further study into this novel approach for the treatment of this disease is warranted. Level of EvidenceN/A (Animal and Laboratory Study)