Airway delivery of mesenchymal stem cells prevents arrested alveolar growth in neonatal lung injury in rats

Single-Cell RNA Sequencing to Guide Autologous Preterm Cord Mesenchymal Stromal Cell Therapy

Rationale: The chronic lung disease bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) remains the most common complication of extreme prematurity (<28 wk of gestation). Umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stromal cells (UC-MSCs) represent an opportunity for autologous cell therapy, as UC-MSCs have been shown to improve lung function and structure in experimental BPD. However, characterization and repair capacity of UC-MSCs derived from donors with pregnancy-related complications associated with prematurity remain unexplored. Objectives: To characterize UC-MSCs' transcriptome and determine if pregnancy-related complications (preeclampsia and chorioamnionitis) alter their therapeutic potential. Methods: Single-cell RNA sequencing was used to compare the transcriptome of UC-MSCs derived from 5 term donors, 16 preterm donors, and human neonatal dermal fibroblasts (control cells of mesenchymal origin) and correlated with their therapeutic potential in experimental BPD. Using publicly available neonatal lung single-nucleus RNA sequencing data, we also determined putative communication networks between UC-MSCs and resident lung cell populations. Measurements and Main Results: Most UC-MSCs displayed a similar transcriptome despite their pregnancy-related conditions and mitigated hyperoxia-induced lung injury in newborn rats. Conversely, human neonatal dermal fibroblasts and one term and two preterm with preeclampsia UC-MSC donors exhibited a distinct transcriptome enriched in genes related to fibroblast function and senescence and were devoid of therapeutic benefit in hyperoxia-induced BPD. Conversely, therapeutic UC-MSCs displayed a unique transcriptome active in cell proliferation and distinct cell-cell interactions with neonatal lung cell populations, including NEGR (neuronal growth regulator 1) and NRNX (neurexin) pathways. Conclusions: Term and preterm UC-MSCs are lung protective in experimental BPD. Single-cell RNA sequencing allows us to identify donors with a distinct UC-MSC transcriptome characteristic of reduced therapeutic potential.

Gold Mesoporous Silica-Coated Nanoparticles for Quantifying and Qualifying Mesenchymal Stem Cell Distribution; a Proof-of-Concept Study in Large Animals

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have demonstrated promising therapeutic potential across a wide range of diseases including (multi) organ injury in neonates. Despite the reported preclinical successes of MSC therapy, a major challenge in their clinical translation is a limited understanding of their biodistribution after administration. This knowledge gap needs to be addressed to allow clinical implementation. Accordingly, in this study, we propose that silica-coated gold nanoparticles (AuMS) are a promising tool for in vivo MSC tracing. This study explores the use of AuMS for both qualitative and quantitative MSC tracking in vivo after intravenous (I.V.) administration in a translational ovine model of preterm birth. Additionally, we assess the impact of AuMS labeling on the immunomodulatory functions of MSC, which play an important role in the therapeutic potency of these cells. Quantitative and qualitative assessment of AuMS-labeled MSC was performed in vivo using fluorescent microscopy and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), respectively. AuMS localization in the liver, spleen, and lung was demonstrated. In vitro studies showed that AuMS cellular uptake occurs within 6 h and remains internalized up to 72 h. Labeled MSC maintained their immune phenotype and did not alter their immunomodulatory capacity and proliferation abilities. Overall, we demonstrate that AuMS is a promising, biocompatible nanoprobe for MSC tracing up to 72 h post-I.V. administration.

Cell-based therapies in preclinical models of necrotizing enterocolitis: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) remains an incurable gut complication of prematurity with significant morbidity and mortality. Cell therapies, including mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs), may be a promising treatment given their anti-inflammatory and regenerative potential. We assessed the effect of MSCs and other cell therapies (not classified as MSCs) on incidence, severity, and mortality in preclinical models of NEC. Bibliographic and gray literature searches yielded 17 371 records with 107 full-text articles assessed and ultimately 16 studies were included. These studies featured only rodents NEC models via combination of hyperosmolar feeds, hypoxia, hypothermia, or lipopolysaccharides. Ten studies used interventions with MSCs. Only 2 met the minimal criteria to define MSCs proposed by the International Society for Cell & Gene Therapy (ISCT). The overall risk of bias was assessed as high partly due to paucity of data with important gaps in reporting, reinforcing the importance of rigorous research framework, appropriate cell-therapy and outcome reporting in preclinical research. A reduction in the incidence of NEC (odds ratio [OR] 0.32, 95% CI [0.17, 0.62]), severe NEC (OR 0.30, 95% CI [0.18, 0.50]), and mortality (OR 0.30, 95% CI [0.16, 0.55]) was noted with MSCs treatment, seemingly more pronounced for ISCT-defined (ISCT+) MSCs. Amniotic fluid stem cells, neural stem cells, and placenta stem cells also showed a reduction in these measures. Given their accessibility (ie, umbilical cord) and proven safety profile in extremely preterm infants, our analysis provides a foundation for considering MSCs as promising candidate that requires further evaluation for the treatment of NEC.

Stem cell-derived extracellular vesicles: a potential intervention for Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia

Despite advances in neonatal care, the incidence of Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia (BPD) remains high among extreme preterm infants. The pathogenesis of BPD is multifactorial, with inflammation playing a central role. There is strong evidence that stem cell therapy reduces inflammatory changes and restores normal lung morphology in animal models of hyperoxia-induced lung injury. These therapeutic effects occur without significant engraftment of the stem cells in the host lung, suggesting more of a paracrine mechanism mediated by their secretome. In addition, there are multiple concerns with stem cell therapy which may be alleviated by administering only the effective vesicles instead of the cells themselves. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are cell-derived components secreted by most eukaryotic cells. They can deliver their bioactive cargo (mRNAs, microRNAs, proteins, growth factors) to recipient cells, which makes them a potential therapeutic vehicle in many diseases, including BPD. The following review will highlight recent studies that investigate the effectiveness of EVs derived from stem cells in preventing or repairing injury in the preterm lung, and the potential mechanisms of action that have been proposed. Current limitations will also be discussed as well as suggestions for advancing the field and easing the transition towards clinical translation in evolving or established BPD. IMPACT: Extracellular vesicles (EVs) derived from stem cells are a potential intervention for neonatal lung diseases. Their use might alleviate the safety concerns associated with stem cell therapy. This review highlights recent studies that investigate the effectiveness of stem cell-derived EVs in preclinical models of bronchopulmonary dysplasia. It adds to the existing literature by elaborating on the challenges associated with EV research. It also provides suggestions to advance the field and ease the transition towards clinical applications. Optimizing EV research could ultimately improve the quality of life of extreme preterm infants born at vulnerable stages of lung development.

Precision Medicine for Pulmonary Vascular Disease: The Future Is Now (2023 Grover Conference Series)

Pulmonary vascular disease is not a single condition; rather it can accompany a variety of pathologies that impact the pulmonary vasculature. Applying precision medicine strategies to better phenotype, diagnose, monitor, and treat pulmonary vascular disease is increasingly possible with the growing accessibility of powerful clinical and research tools. Nevertheless, challenges exist in implementing these tools to optimal effect. The 2023 Grover Conference Series reviewed the research landscape to summarize the current state of the art and provide a better understanding of the application of precision medicine to managing pulmonary vascular disease. In particular, the following aspects were discussed: (1) Clinical phenotypes, (2) genetics, (3) epigenetics, (4) biomarker discovery, (5) application of precision biology to clinical trials, (6) the right ventricle (RV), and (7) integrating precision medicine to clinical care. The present review summarizes the content of these discussions and the prospects for the future.

Ameliorating lung fibrosis and pulmonary function in diabetic mice: Therapeutic potential of mesenchymal stem cell

This study aimed to investigate the potential of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) in alleviating diabetic lung injury by decreasing inflammation, fibrosis and recovering tissue macrophage homeostasis. To induce pulmonary injuries in an in vivo murine model, we utilized a streptozotocin (STZ), and high-fat diet (HFD) induced diabetic C57 mouse model. Subsequently, human umbilical cord-derived MSCs (hUC-MSCs) were administered through the tail vein on a weekly basis for a duration of 4 weeks. In addition, in vitro experiments involved co-culturing of isolated primary abdominal macrophages from diabetic mice and high glucose-stimulated MLE-12 cells with hUC-MSCs. The objective was to evaluate if hUC-MSCs co-culturing could effectively mitigate cell inflammation and fibrosis. Following hUC-MSCs injection, diabetic mice displayed enhanced pulmonary functional parameters, reduced pulmonary fibrosis, and diminished inflammation. Notably, the dynamic equilibrium of lung macrophages shifted from the M1 phenotype to the M2 phenotype, accompanied by a notable reduction in various indicators associated with inflammation and fibrosis. Results from cell co-culturing experiments further supported this trend, demonstrating a reduction in inflammatory and fibrotic indicators. In conclusion, our findings suggest that hUC-MSCs treatment holds promise in mitigating diabetic pulmonary injury by significantly reducing inflammation, fibrosis and maintain tissue macrophage homeostasis within the lungs. This study sheds light on the therapeutic potential of hUC-MSCs in managing diabetic complications affecting the pulmonary system.

Improving the future of clinical trials and translation of mesenchymal stromal cell therapies for neonatal disorders

Despite recent advances in neonatal intensive care medicine, neonatal disorders such as (bronchopulmonary dysplasia [BPD], intraventricular hemorrhage [IVH], and hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy [HIE]) remain major causes of death and morbidity in survivors, with few effective treatments being available. Recent preclinical studies have demonstrated the pleiotropic host injury-responsive paracrine protective effects of cell therapy especially with mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) against BPD, IVH, and HIE. These findings suggest that MSCs therapy might emerge as a novel therapeutic modality for these currently devastating neonatal disorders with complex multifactorial etiologies. Although early-phase clinical trials suggest their safety and feasibility, their clinical therapeutic benefits have not yet been proven. Therefore, based on currently available preclinical research and clinical trial data, we focus on critical issues that need to be addressed for future successful clinical trials and eventual clinical translation such as selecting the right patient and optimal cell type, route, dose, and timing of MSCs therapy for neonatal disorders such as BPD, HIE, and IVH.

Single-Cell RNA Sequencing Reveals Repair Features of Human Umbilical Cord Mesenchymal Stromal Cells

Rationale: The chronic lung disease bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) is the most severe complication of extreme prematurity. BPD results in impaired lung alveolar and vascular development and long-term respiratory morbidity, for which only supportive therapies exist. Umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stromal cells (UC-MSCs) improve lung structure and function in experimental BPD. Results of clinical trials with MSCs for many disorders do not yet match the promising preclinical studies. A lack of specific criteria to define functionally distinct MSCs persists. Objectives: To determine and correlate single-cell UC-MSC transcriptomic profiles with therapeutic potential. Methods: UC-MSCs from five term donors and human neonatal dermal fibroblasts (HNDFs; control cells of mesenchymal origin) transcriptomes were investigated using single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) analysis. The lung-protective effect of UC-MSCs with a distinct transcriptome and control HNDFs was tested in vivo in hyperoxia-induced neonatal lung injury in rats. Measurements and Main Results: UC-MSCs showed limited transcriptomic heterogeneity but were different from HNDFs. Gene Ontology enrichment analysis revealed distinct (progenitor-like and fibroblast-like) UC-MSC subpopulations. Only treatment with progenitor-like UC-MSCs improved lung function and structure and attenuated pulmonary hypertension in hyperoxia-exposed rat pups. Moreover, scRNA-seq identified major histocompatibility complex class I as a molecular marker of nontherapeutic cells and associated with decreased lung retention. Conclusions: UC-MSCs with a progenitor-like transcriptome, but not with a fibroblast-like transcriptome, provide lung protection in experimental BPD. High expression of major histocompatibility complex class I is associated with reduced therapeutic benefit. scRNA-seq may be useful to identify subsets of MSCs with superior repair capacity for clinical application.

BPD: Latest Strategies of Prevention and Treatment

BACKGROUND

Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) is the most common long-term complication of extreme preterm birth. It is associated with lifelong multisystemic consequences. Advances in neonatal care have not reduced the incidence of BPD and no new breakthrough therapy has been successfully translated into the clinic in recent decades.

SUMMARY

Current evidence demonstrates benefit of new modalities of first-line noninvasive positive pressure ventilation, selected strategies of postnatal corticosteroid administration, alternative surfactant delivery methods, and caffeine. Promising emerging therapies that are being translated from bench to bedside include mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs), insulin-like growth factor 1/binding protein-3 (IGF-1/IGFBP-3), and interleukin 1 receptor (IL-1R) antagonist (anakinra). Strong preclinical data support efficacy of MSCs in attenuating neonatal lung injury. Early-phase clinical trials have already demonstrated safety and feasibility in preterm infants. Phase II studies that aimed at demonstrating efficacy are currently underway. Both IGF-1/IGFBP-3 and IL-1R antagonist present with biological plausibility and animal data of efficacy. Phase I/II clinical trials are currently recruiting patients.

KEY MESSAGES

Early noninvasive respiratory support, late systemic dexamethasone, less invasive surfactant administration, and caffeine are proven strategies in reducing the risk of BPD. Potentially disruptive therapies - MSCs, IGF-1/IGFBP-3, and anakinra - are being advanced to clinical trials and their efficacy in remains to be demonstrated. Continued research efforts are needed in the growing population of extremely preterm infants at risk of developing BPD.

Repeated intravenous doses of human umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stromal cells for bronchopulmonary dysplasia: results of a phase 1 clinical trial with 2-year follow-up

BACKGROUND

Currently, there is a lack of effective treatments or preventive strategies for bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD). Pre-clinical studies with mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) have yielded encouraging results. The safety of administering repeated intravenous doses of umbilical cord tissue-derived mesenchymal stromal cells (UC-MSCs) has not yet been tested in extremely-low-gestational-age newborns (ELGANs).

AIMS

to test the safety and feasibility of administering three sequential intravenous doses of UC-MSCs every 7 days to ELGANs at risk of developing BPD.

METHODS

In this phase 1 clinical trial, we recruited ELGANs (birth weight ≤1250 g and ≤28 weeks in gestational age [GA]) who were on invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV) with FiO2 ≥ 0.3 at postnatal days 7-14. Three doses of 5 × 106/kg of UC-MSCs were intravenously administered at weekly intervals. Adverse effects and prematurity-related morbidities were recorded.

RESULTS

From April 2019 to July 2020, 10 patients were recruited with a mean GA of 25.2 ± 0.8 weeks and a mean birth weight of 659.8 ± 153.8 g. All patients received three intravenous UC-MSC doses. The first dose was administered at a mean of 16.6 ± 2.9 postnatal days. All patients were diagnosed with BPD. All patients were discharged from the hospital. No deaths or any serious adverse events related to the infusion of UC-MSCs were observed during administration, hospital stays or at 2-year follow-up.

CONCLUSIONS

The administration of repeated intravenous infusion of UC-MSCs in ELGANs at a high risk of developing BPD was feasible and safe in the short- and mid-term follow-up.

Effectiveness of extracellular vesicles derived from hiPSCs in repairing hyperoxia-induced injury in a fetal murine lung explant model

BACKGROUND

Despite advances in neonatal care, the incidence of Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia (BPD) remains high among preterm infants. Human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) have shown promise in repairing injury in animal BPD models. Evidence suggests they exert their effects via paracrine mechanisms. We aim herein to assess the effectiveness of extracellular vesicles (EVs) derived from hiPSCs and their alveolar progenies (diPSCs) in attenuating hyperoxic injury in a preterm lung explant model.

METHODS

Murine lung lobes were harvested on embryonic day 17.5 and maintained in air-liquid interface. Following exposure to 95% O2 for 24 h, media was supplemented with 5 × 106 particles/mL of EVs isolated from hiPSCs or diPSCs by size-exclusion chromatography. On day 3, explants were assessed using Hematoxylin-Eosin staining with mean linear intercept (MLI) measurements, immunohistochemistry, VEGFa and antioxidant gene expression. Statistical analysis was conducted using one-way ANOVA and Multiple Comparison Test. EV proteomic profiling was performed, and annotations focused on alveolarization and angiogenesis signaling pathways, as well as anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, and regenerative pathways.

RESULTS

Exposure of fetal lung explants to hyperoxia induced airspace enlargement, increased MLI, upregulation of anti-oxidants Prdx5 and Nfe2l2 with decreased VEGFa expression. Treatment with hiPSC-EVs improved parenchymal histologic changes. No overt changes in vasculature structure were observed on immunohistochemistry in our in vitro model. However, VEGFa and anti-oxidant genes were upregulated with diPSC-EVs, suggesting a pro-angiogenic and cytoprotective potential. EV proteomic analysis provided new insights in regard to potential pathways influencing lung regeneration.

CONCLUSION

This proof-of-concept in vitro study reveals a potential role for hiPSC- and diPSC-EVs in attenuating lung changes associated with prematurity and oxygen exposure. Our findings pave the way for a novel cell free approach to prevent and/or treat BPD, and ultimately reduce the global burden of the disease.

Development of a new treatment for preterm birth complications using amniotic fluid stem cell therapy

This paper describes the current status of studies and clinical trials on the use of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and amniotic fluid stem cells (AFSCs) for complications of preterm birth (PTB), an urgent issue in the perinatal field. PTB is a serious challenge in clinical medicine that is increasing globally, and effective control of its complications is necessary for newborns' subsequent long life. Classical treatments are inadequate, and many patients have PTB complications. A growing body of evidence provided by translational medicine and others indicates that MSCs, and among them, the readily available AFSCs, may be useful in treating PTB complications. AFSCs are the only MSCs available prenatally and are known to be highly anti-inflammatory and tissue-protective and do not form tumors when transplanted. Furthermore, because they are derived from the amniotic fluid, a medical waste product, no ethical issues are involved. AFSCs are an ideal cell resource for MSC therapy in neonates. This paper targets the brain, lungs, and intestines, which are the vital organs most likely to be damaged by PTB complications. The evidence to date and future prospects with MSCs and AFSCs for these organs are described.

Progress in Research on Stem Cells in Neonatal Refractory Diseases

With the development and progress of medical technology, the survival rate of premature and low-birth-weight infants has increased, as has the incidence of a variety of neonatal diseases, such as hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy, intraventricular hemorrhage, bronchopulmonary dysplasia, necrotizing enterocolitis, and retinopathy of prematurity. These diseases cause severe health conditions with poor prognoses, and existing control methods are ineffective for such diseases. Stem cells are a special type of cells with self-renewal and differentiation potential, and their mechanisms mainly include anti-inflammatory and anti-apoptotic properties, reducing oxidative stress, and boosting regeneration. Their paracrine effects can affect the microenvironment in which they survive, thereby affecting the biological characteristics of other cells. Due to their unique abilities, stem cells have been used in treating various diseases. Therefore, stem cell therapy may open up the possibility of treating such neonatal diseases. This review summarizes the research progress on stem cells and exosomes derived from stem cells in neonatal refractory diseases to provide new insights for most researchers and clinicians regarding future treatments. In addition, the current challenges and perspectives in stem cell therapy are discussed.

Activation of Wnt/β‑Catenin‑p130/E2F4 promotes the differentiation of bone marrow‑derived mesenchymal stem cells into type II alveolar epithelial cells through cell cycle arrest

The results of our previous study demonstrated that activation of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway increased the differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) into type II alveolar epithelial (AT II) cells; however, the specific mechanisms remain unclear. The present study aimed to evaluate the role of Wnt/β-catenin-p130/E2F transcription factor 4 (E2F4) in regulating the differentiation of mouse MSCs (mMSCs) into AT II cells, and to determine the specific mechanisms. mMSCs with p130 or E2F4 overexpression were constructed using lentiviral vectors. Differentiation of mMSCs into AT II cells was promoted using a modified coculture system with murine lung epithelial-12 cells incubated in small airway growth medium for 7-14 days. The differentiation efficiency was detected using immunofluorescence, western blot analysis and transmission electron microscopy. To detect the association between the canonical Wnt pathway and p130/E2F4, 4 mmol/l lithium chloride (LiCl) or 200 ng/ml Dickkopf-related protein 1 (DKK-1) was also added to the coculture system. Following differentiation, the cell cycle of mMSCs was evaluated using flow cytometry. The results of the present study demonstrated that surfactant protein C (SP-C) protein expression was higher in the p130 overexpression (MSC-p130) and E2F4 overexpression (MSC-E2F4) groups compared with the normal control mMSCs group following differentiation into AT II cells. Similar results for SP-C protein expression and lamellar body-like structures were also observed using immunofluorescence analysis and electron microscopy. Following the addition of LiCl into the coculture system for activation of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway, phosphorylated (p)-p130/p130 was slightly decreased at 7 days and E2F4 was increased both at 7 and 14 days in mMSCs. Furthermore, the p-p130/p130 ratio was significantly increased at 14 days and E2F4 was decreased both at 7 and 14 days following DKK-1-mediated inhibition of the Wnt pathway. The results of the present study demonstrated that the numbers of cells in G₁ and S phases were increased following activation of the Wnt pathway and decreased following Wnt pathway inhibition. However, the number of cells in G₁ phase was increased following the differentiation of mMSCs overexpressing p130 or E2F4. Therefore, the results of the present study revealed that the canonical Wnt signaling pathway may affect the differentiation of MSCs into AT II cells via regulation of downstream p130/E2F4. The specific mechanisms may be associated with G₁ phase extension in the cell cycle of MSCs.

Extracellular vesicles: pathogenic messengers and potential therapy for neonatal lung diseases

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are a heterogeneous group of nano-sized membranous structures increasingly recognized as mediators of intercellular and inter-organ communication. EVs contain a cargo of proteins, lipids and nucleic acids, and their cargo composition is highly dependent on the biological function of the parental cells. Their cargo is protected from the extracellular environment by the phospholipid membrane, thus allowing for safe transport and delivery of their intact cargo to nearby or distant target cells, resulting in modification of the target cell's gene expression, signaling pathways and overall function. The highly selective, sophisticated network through which EVs facilitate cell signaling and modulate cellular processes make studying EVs a major focus of interest in understanding various biological functions and mechanisms of disease. Tracheal aspirate EV-miRNA profiling has been suggested as a potential biomarker for respiratory outcome in preterm infants and there is strong preclinical evidence showing that EVs released from stem cells protect the developing lung from the deleterious effects of hyperoxia and infection. This article will review the role of EVs as pathogenic messengers, biomarkers, and potential therapies for neonatal lung diseases.

Perinatal origins of bronchopulmonary dysplasia-deciphering normal and impaired lung development cell by cell

Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) is a multifactorial disease occurring as a consequence of premature birth, as well as antenatal and postnatal injury to the developing lung. BPD morbidity and severity depend on a complex interplay between prenatal and postnatal inflammation, mechanical ventilation, and oxygen therapy as well as associated prematurity-related complications. These initial hits result in ill-explored aberrant immune and reparative response, activation of pro-fibrotic and anti-angiogenic factors, which further perpetuate the injury. Histologically, the disease presents primarily by impaired lung development and an arrest in lung microvascular maturation. Consequently, BPD leads to respiratory complications beyond the neonatal period and may result in premature aging of the lung. While the numerous prenatal and postnatal stimuli contributing to BPD pathogenesis are relatively well known, the specific cell populations driving the injury, as well as underlying mechanisms are still not well understood. Recently, an effort to gain a more detailed insight into the cellular composition of the developing lung and its progenitor populations has unfold. Here, we provide an overview of the current knowledge regarding perinatal origin of BPD and discuss underlying mechanisms, as well as novel approaches to study the perturbed lung development.

Harnessing the therapeutic potential of the stem cell secretome in neonatal diseases

Preterm birth and intrapartum related complications account for a substantial amount of mortality and morbidity in the neonatal period despite significant advancements in neonatal-perinatal care. Currently, there is a noticeable lack of curative or preventative therapies available for any of the most common complications of prematurity including bronchopulmonary dysplasia, necrotizing enterocolitis, intraventricular hemorrhage, periventricular leukomalacia and retinopathy of prematurity or hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy, the main cause of perinatal brain injury in term infants. Mesenchymal stem/stromal cell-derived therapy has been an active area of investigation for the past decade and has demonstrated encouraging results in multiple experimental models of neonatal disease. It is now widely acknowledged that mesenchymal stem/stromal cells exert their therapeutic effects via their secretome, with the principal vector identified as extracellular vesicles. This review will focus on summarizing the current literature and investigations on mesenchymal stem/stromal cell-derived extracellular vesicles as a treatment for neonatal diseases and examine the considerations to their application in the clinical setting.

Stem cell therapies for neonatal lung diseases: Are we there yet?

Lung diseases are a main cause of mortality and morbidity in neonates. Despite major breakthroughs, therapies remain supportive and, in some instances, contribute to lung injury. Because the neonatal lung is still developing, the ideal therapy should be capable of preventing/repairing lung injury while at the same time, promoting lung growth. Cell-based therapies hold high hopes based on laboratory experiments in animal models of neonatal lung injury. Mesenchymal stromal cells and amnion epithelial cells are now in early phase clinical trials to test the feasibility, safety and early signs of efficacy in preterm infants at risk of developing bronchopulmonary dysplasia. Other cell-based therapies are being explored in experimental models of congenital diaphragmatic hernia and alveolar capillary dysplasia. This review will summarize current evidence that has lead to the clinical translation of cell-based therapies and highlights controversies and the numerous questions that remain to be addressed to harness the putative repair potential of cell-based therapies.

Barriers in translating stem cell therapies for neonatal diseases

Over the last 20 years, stem cells of varying origin and their associated secretome have been investigated as a therapeutic option for a myriad of neonatal models of disease, with very promising results. Despite the devastating nature of some of these disorders, translation of the preclinical evidence to the bedside has been slow. In this review, we explore the existing clinical evidence for stem cell therapies in neonates, highlight the barriers faced by researchers and suggest potential solutions to move the field forward.

Allogeneic Mesenchymal Stromal Cells as a Global Pediatric Prospective Approach in the Treatment of Respiratory Failure Associated with Surfactant Protein C Dysfunction

Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) have been proposed as a new therapeutic strategy to treat congenital and acquired respiratory system diseases. We describe a case report of an 18-month-old male patient with progressive chronic respiratory failure, associated with mutations of the surfactant protein C gene (SFTPC) due to c.289G > T variant p.Gly97Ser (rs927644577) and c.176A > G variant (p.His59Arg), submitted to repeated intravenous infusions of allogeneic bone marrow (BM) MSCs. The clinical condition of the patient was monitored. Immunologic studies before and during MSC treatment were performed. No adverse events related to the MSC infusions were recorded. Throughout the MSC treatment period, the patient showed a growth recovery. Starting the second infusion, the patient experienced an improvement in his respiratory condition, with progressive adaptation to mechanical ventilation. After the third infusion, five hours/die of spontaneous breathing was shown, and after infusion IV, spontaneous ventilation for 24/24 h was recorded. A gradual decrease of lymphocytes and cell subpopulations was observed. No variations in the in vitro T cell response to PHA were determined by MSC treatment as well as for the in vitro B cell response. A decrease in IFN-γ, TNF-α, and IL-10 levels was also detected. Even though we cannot exclude an improvement of pulmonary function due to the physiological maturation, the well-known action of MSCs in the repair of lung tissue, together with the sequence of events observed in our patient, may support the therapeutic role of MSCs in this clinical condition. However, further investigations are necessary to confirm the result and long-term follow-up will be mandatory to confirm the benefits on the pulmonary condition.

Mesenchymal Stromal/Stem Cell Extracellular Vesicles and Perinatal Injury: One Formula for Many Diseases

Over the past decades, substantial advances in neonatal medical care have increased the survival of extremely premature infants. However, there continues to be significant morbidity associated with preterm birth with common complications including bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD), necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), neuronal injury such as intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH) or hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE), as well as retinopathy of prematurity (ROP). Common developmental immune and inflammatory pathways underlie the pathophysiology of such complications providing the opportunity for multisystem therapeutic approaches. To date, no single therapy has proven to be effective enough to prevent or treat the sequelae of prematurity. In the past decade mesenchymal stem/stromal cell (MSC)-based therapeutic approaches have shown promising results in numerous experimental models of neonatal diseases. It is now accepted that the therapeutic potential of MSCs is comprised of their secretome, and several studies have recognized the small extracellular vesicles (sEVs) as the paracrine vector. Herein, we review the current literature on the MSC-EVs as potential therapeutic agents in neonatal diseases and comment on the progress and challenges of their translation to the clinical setting.

Proceedings of the ISCT scientific signature series symposium, "Advances in cell and gene therapies for lung diseases and critical illnesses": International Society for Cell & Gene Therapy, Burlington VT, US, July 16, 2021

The ISCT Scientific Signature Series Symposium "Advances in Cell and Gene Therapies for Lung Diseases and Critical Illnesses" was held as an independent symposium in conjunction with the biennial meeting, "Stem Cells, Cell Therapies, and Bioengineering in Lung Biology and Diseases," which took place July 12-15, 2021, at the University of Vermont. This is the third Respiratory System-based Signature Series event; the first 2, "Tracheal Bioengineering, the Next Steps" and "Cellular Therapies for Pulmonary Diseases and Critical Illnesses: State of the Art of European Science," took place in 2014 and 2015, respectively. Cell- and gene-based therapies for respiratory diseases and critical illnesses continue to be a source of great promise and opportunity. This reflects ongoing advancements in understanding of the mechanisms by which cell-based therapies, particularly those using mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs), can mitigate different lung injuries and the increasing sophistication with which preclinical data is translated into clinical investigations. This also reflects continuing evolution in gene transfer vectors, including those designed for in situ gene editing in parallel with those targeting gene or cell replacement. Therefore, this symposium convened global thought leaders in a forum designed to catalyze communication and collaboration to bring the greatest possible innovation and value of cell- and gene-based therapies for patients with respiratory diseases and critical illnesses.

Mesenchymal Stem Cell-derived Extracellular Vesicles Prevent Experimental Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia Complicated By Pulmonary Hypertension

Mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) extracellular vesicles (EVs) have beneficial effects in preclinical bronchopulmonary dysplasia and pulmonary hypertension (BPD-PH) models. The optimal source, dosing, route, and duration of effects are however unknown. The objectives of this study were to (a) compare the efficacy of GMP-grade EVs obtained from Wharton’s Jelly MSCs (WJ-MSCs) and bone marrow (BM-MSCs), (b) determine the optimal dosing and route of administration, (c) evaluate its long-term effects, and (d) determine how MSC EVs alter the lung transcriptome. Newborn rats exposed to normoxia or hyperoxia (85% O₂) from postnatal day (P)1-P14 were given (a) intra-tracheal (IT) BM or WJ-MSC EVs or placebo, (b) varying doses of IT WJ-MSC EVs, or (c) IT or intravenous (IV) WJ-MSC EVs on P3. Rats were evaluated at P14 or 3 months. Early administration of IT BM-MSC or WJ-MSC EVs had similar beneficial effects on lung structure and PH in hyperoxia-exposed rats. WJ-MSC EVs however had superior effects on cardiac remodeling. Low, medium, and high dose WJ-MSC EVs had similar cardiopulmonary regenerative effects. IT and IV WJ-MSC EVs similarly improved vascular density and reduced PH in hyperoxic rats. Gene-set enrichment analysis of transcripts differentially expressed in WJ-MSC EV-treated rats showed that induced transcripts were associated with angiogenesis. Long-term studies demonstrated that a single early MSC EV dose has pulmonary vascular protective effects 3 months after administration. Together, our findings have significant translational implications as it provides critical insight into the optimal source, dosing, route, mechanisms of action, and duration of effects of MSC-EVs for BPD-PH.

Stem-Cell Therapy for Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia (BPD) in Newborns

Premature newborns are at a higher risk for the development of respiratory distress syndrome (RDS), acute lung injury (ALI) associated with lung inflammation, disruption of alveolar structure, impaired alveolar growth, lung fibrosis, impaired lung angiogenesis, and development of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) with severe long-term developmental adverse effects. The current therapy for BPD is limited to supportive care including high-oxygen therapy and pharmacotherapy. Recognizing more feasible treatment options to improve lung health and reduce complications associated with BPD is essential for improving the overall quality of life of premature infants. There is a reduction in the resident stem cells in lungs of premature infants with BPD, which strongly suggests a critical role of stem cells in BPD pathogenesis; this warrants the exploration of the potential therapeutic use of stem-cell therapy. Stem-cell-based therapies have shown promise for the treatment of many pathological conditions including acute lung injury and BPD. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and MSC-derived extracellular vesicles (EVs) including exosomes are promising and effective therapeutic modalities for the treatment of BPD. Treatment with MSCs and EVs may help to reduce lung inflammation, improve pulmonary architecture, attenuate pulmonary fibrosis, and increase the survival rate.

Pulmonary and Neurologic Effects of Mesenchymal Stromal Cell Extracellular Vesicles in a Multifactorial Lung Injury Model

RATIONALE

Bronchopulmonary dysplasia, a chronic respiratory condition originating from preterm birth, is associated with abnormal neurodevelopment. Currently, there is an absence of effective therapies for bronchopulmonary dysplasia and its associated brain injury. In preclinical trials mesenchymal stromal cell therapies demonstrate promise as a therapeutic for bronchopulmonary dysplasia.

OBJECTIVES

To investigate whether a multifactorial neonatal mouse model of lung injury perturbs neural progenitor cell function and to assess the ability of human umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stromal cell extracellular vesicles to mitigate pulmonary and neurologic injury.

METHODS

Mice at postnatal day 7/8 were injected intraperitoneally with lipopolysaccharide and ventilated with 40% oxygen at postnatal day 9/10 for 8 hours. Treated animals received umbilical cord-mesenchymal stromal cell-derived extracellular vesicles intratracheally preceding ventilation. Lung morphology, vascularity, and inflammation were quantified. Neural progenitor cells were isolated from the subventricular zone/hippocampus and assessed for self-renewal, in vitro differentiation ability, and transcriptional profiles.

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS

The multifactorial lung injury model produced alveolar and vascular rarefaction mimicking bronchopulmonary dysplasia. Neural progenitor cells from lung injury mice showed reduced neurosphere and oligodendrocyte formation, as well as inflammatory transcriptional signatures. Mice treated with mesenchymal stromal cell extracellular vesicles showed significant improvement in lung architecture, vessel formation, and inflammatory modulation. Additionally, we observed significantly increased in vitro neurosphere formation and altered neural progenitor cell transcriptional signatures.

CONCLUSIONS

Our multifactorial lung injury model impairs neural progenitor cell function. Observed pulmonary and neurologic alterations are mitigated by intratracheal treatment with mesenchymal stromal cell-derived extracellular vesicles.

Pharmacotherapy in Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia: What Is the Evidence?

Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia (BPD) is a multifactorial disease affecting over 35% of extremely preterm infants born each year. Despite the advances made in understanding the pathogenesis of this disease over the last five decades, BPD remains one of the major causes of morbidity and mortality in this population, and the incidence of the disease increases with decreasing gestational age. As inflammation is one of the key drivers in the pathogenesis, it has been targeted by majority of pharmacological and non-pharmacological methods to prevent BPD. Most extremely premature infants receive a myriad of medications during their stay in the neonatal intensive care unit in an effort to prevent or manage BPD, with corticosteroids, caffeine, and diuretics being the most commonly used medications. However, there is no consensus regarding their use and benefits in this population. This review summarizes the available literature regarding these medications and aims to provide neonatologists and neonatal providers with evidence-based recommendations.

Perinatal Hyperoxia and Developmental Consequences on the Lung-Brain Axis

Approximately 11.1% of all newborns worldwide are born preterm. Improved neonatal intensive care significantly increased survival rates over the last decades but failed to reduce the risk for the development of chronic lung disease (i.e., bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD)) and impaired neurodevelopment (i.e., encephalopathy of prematurity (EoP)), two major long-term sequelae of prematurity. Premature infants are exposed to relative hyperoxia, when compared to physiological in-utero conditions and, if needed to additional therapeutic oxygen supplementation. Both are associated with an increased risk for impaired organ development. Since the detrimental effects of hyperoxia on the immature retina are known for many years, lung and brain have come into focus in the last decade. Hyperoxia-induced excessive production of reactive oxygen species leading to oxidative stress and inflammation contribute to pulmonary growth restriction and abnormal neurodevelopment, including myelination deficits. Despite a large body of studies, which unraveled important pathophysiological mechanisms for both organs at risk, the majority focused exclusively either on lung or on brain injury. However, considering that preterm infants suffering from BPD are at higher risk for poor neurodevelopmental outcome, an interaction between both organs seems plausible. This review summarizes recent findings regarding mechanisms of hyperoxia-induced neonatal lung and brain injury. We will discuss common pathophysiological pathways, which potentially link both injured organ systems. Furthermore, promises and needs of currently suggested therapies, including pharmacological and regenerative cell-based treatments for BPD and EoP, will be emphasized. Limited therapeutic approaches highlight the urgent need for a better understanding of the mechanisms underlying detrimental effects of hyperoxia on the lung-brain axis in order to pave the way for the development of novel multimodal therapies, ideally targeting both severe preterm birth-associated complications.

Chemical Advances in Therapeutic Application of Exosomes and Liposomes

Exosomes and liposomes are vesicular nanoparticles that can encapsulate functional cargo. The chemical similarities between naturally occurring exosomes and synthetic liposomes have accelerated the development of exosome mimetics as a therapeutic drug delivery platform under physiological and pathological environments. To maximise the applications of exosomes and liposomes in the clinical setting, it is essential to look into their basic chemical properties and utilise these characteristics to optimise the preparation, loading, modification and hybridisation. This review summarises the chemical and biological properties of both exosomal and liposomal systems as well as some of the challenges related to their production and application. This article concludes with a discussion on potential perspectives for the integration of exosomal and liposomal technologies in mapping better approaches for their biomedical use, especially in therapeutics.

Stem cells in neonatal diseases: An overview

Preterm birth and its common complications are major causes of infant mortality and long-term morbidity. Despite great advances in understanding the pathogenesis of neonatal diseases and improvements in neonatal intensive care, effective therapies for the prevention or treatment for these conditions are still lacking. Stem cell (SC) therapy is rapidly emerging as a novel therapeutic tool for several diseases of the newborn with encouraging pre-clinical results that hold promise for translation to the bedside. The utility of different types of SCs in neonatal diseases is being explored. SC therapeutic efficacy is closely associated with its secretome-conditioned media and SC-derived extracellular vesicles, and a subsequent paracrine action in response to tissue injuries. In the current review, we summarize the pre-clinical and clinical studies of SCs and its secretome in diverse preterm and term birth-related diseases, thereby providing new insights for future therapies in neonatal medicine.

Antenatal mesenchymal stromal cell extracellular vesicle treatment preserves lung development in a model of bronchopulmonary dysplasia due to chorioamnionitis

Antenatal stressors such as chorioamnionitis (CA) increase the risk for bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD). Studies have shown that experimental BPD can be ameliorated by postnatal treatment with mesenchymal stromal cell-derived extracellular vesicles (MEx). However, the antenatal efficacy of MEx to prevent BPD is unknown. To determine whether antenatal MEx therapy attenuates intrauterine inflammation and preserves lung growth in a rat model of CA-induced BPD. At embryonic day (E)20, rat litters were treated with intra-amniotic injections of saline, endotoxin (ETX) to model chorioamnionitis, MEx, or ETX plus MEx followed by cesarean section delivery with placental harvest at E22. Placental and lung evaluations were conducted at day 0 and day 14, respectively. To assess the effects of ETX and MEx on lung growth in vitro, E15 lung explants were imaged for distal branching. Placental tissues from ETX-exposed pregnancies showed increased expression of inflammatory markers NLRP-3 and IL-1ß and altered spiral artery morphology. In addition, infant rats exposed to intrauterine ETX had reduced alveolarization and pulmonary vessel density (PVD), increased right ventricular hypertrophy (RVH), and decreased lung mechanics. Intrauterine MEx therapy of ETX-exposed pups reduced inflammatory cytokines, normalized spiral artery architecture, and preserved distal lung growth and mechanics. In vitro studies showed that MEx treatment enhanced distal lung branching and increased VEGF and SPC gene expression. Antenatal MEx treatment preserved distal lung growth and reduced intrauterine inflammation in a model of CA-induced BPD. We speculate that MEx may provide a novel therapeutic strategy to prevent BPD due to antenatal inflammation.

Insights into the mechanisms of alveolarization - Implications for lung regeneration and cell therapies

Although the lung has extensive regenerative capacity, some diseases affecting the distal lung result in irreversible loss of pulmonary alveoli. Hitherto, treatments are supportive and do not specifically target tissue repair. Regenerative medicine offers prospects to promote lung repair and regeneration. The neonatal lung may be particularly receptive, because of its growth potential, compared to the adult lung. Based on our current understanding of neonatal lung injury, the ideal therapeutic approach includes mitigation of inflammation and fibrosis, and induction of regenerative signals. Cell-based therapies have shown potential to prevent and reverse impaired lung development. Their mechanisms of action suggest effects on both, mitigating the pathophysiological processes and promoting lung growth. Here, we review our current understanding of normal and impaired alveolarization, provide some rationale for the use of cell-based therapies and summarize current evidence for the therapeutic potential of cell-based therapies for pulmonary regeneration in preterm infants.

Single-Cell RNA Sequencing-Based Characterization of Resident Lung Mesenchymal Stromal Cells in Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia

Late lung development is a period of alveolar and microvascular formation, which is pivotal in ensuring sufficient and effective gas exchange. Defects in late lung development manifest in premature infants as a chronic lung disease named bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD). Numerous studies demonstrated the therapeutic properties of exogenous bone marrow and umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) in experimental BPD. However, very little is known regarding the regenerative capacity of resident lung MSCs (L-MSCs) during normal development and in BPD. In this study we aimed to characterize the L-MSC population in homeostasis and upon injury. We used single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) to profile in situ Ly6a+ L-MSCs in the lungs of normal and O2-exposed neonatal mice (a well-established model to mimic BPD) at 3 developmental timepoints (postnatal days 3, 7, and 14). Hyperoxia exposure increased the number and altered the expression profile of L-MSCs, particularly by increasing the expression of multiple pro-inflammatory, pro-fibrotic, and anti-angiogenic genes. In order to identify potential changes induced in the L-MSCs transcriptome by storage and culture, we profiled 15 000 Ly6a+ L-MSCs after in vitro culture. We observed great differences in expression profiles of in situ and cultured L-MSCs, particularly those derived from healthy lungs. Additionally, we have identified the location of Ly6a+/Col14a1+ L-MSCs in the developing lung and propose Serpinf1 as a novel, culture-stable marker of L-MSCs. Finally, cell communication analysis suggests inflammatory signals from immune and endothelial cells as main drivers of hyperoxia-induced changes in L-MSCs transcriptome.

Stem cells or their exosomes: which is preferred in COVID-19 treatment?

It only took 8 months for the pneumonia caused by a previously unknown coronavirus to turn into a global pandemic of unprecedentedly far-reaching implications. Failure of the already discovered treatment measures opened up a new opportunity to evaluate the potentials of mesenchymal stem cells and their extracellular vesicles (EVs), exosomes in particular. Eventually, the initial success experienced after the use of MSCs in treating the new pneumonia by Lnge and his team backed up the idea of MSC-based therapies and pushed them closer to becoming a reality. However, MSC-related concerns regarding safety such as abnormal differentiation, spontaneous malignant and the formation of ectopic tissues have triggered the replacement of MSCs by their secreted exosomes. The issue has been further strengthened by the fact that the exosomes leave similar treatment impacts when compared to their parental cells. In recent years, much attention has been paid to the use of MSC-derived exosomes in the treatment of a variety of diseases. With a primary focus on COVID-19 and its current treatment methods, the present review looks into the potentials of MSCs and MSC-derived exosomes in battling the ongoing pandemic. Finally, the research will draw an analogy between exosomes and their parental cells, when it comes to the progresses and challenges in using exosomes as a large-scale treatment method.

OUP accepted manuscript

Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) is a life-threatening condition in preterm infants with few effective therapies. Mesenchymal stem or stromal cells (MSCs) are a promising therapeutic strategy for BPD. The ideal MSC source for BPD prevention is however unknown. The objective of this study was to compare the regenerative effects of MSC obtained from bone marrow (BM) and umbilical cord tissue (UCT) in an experimental BPD model. In vitro, UCT-MSC demonstrated greater proliferation and expression of anti-inflammatory cytokines as compared to BM-MSC. Lung epithelial cells incubated with UCT-MSC conditioned media (CM) had better-wound healing following scratch injury. UCT-MSC CM and BM-MSC CM had similar pro-angiogenic effects on hyperoxia-exposed pulmonary microvascular endothelial cells. In vivo, newborn rats exposed to normoxia or hyperoxia (85% O₂) from postnatal day (P) 1 to 21 were given intra-tracheal (IT) BM or UCT-MSC (1 × 10⁶ cells/50 μL), or placebo (PL) on P3. Hyperoxia PL-treated rats had marked alveolar simplification, reduced lung vascular density, pulmonary vascular remodeling, and lung inflammation. In contrast, administration of both BM-MSC and UCT-MSC significantly improved alveolar structure, lung angiogenesis, pulmonary vascular remodeling, and lung inflammation. UCT-MSC hyperoxia-exposed rats however had greater improvement in some morphometric measures of alveolarization and less lung macrophage infiltration as compared to the BM-MSC-treated group. Together, these findings suggest that BM-MSC and UCT-MSC have significant lung regenerative effects in experimental BPD but UCT-MSC suppresses lung macrophage infiltration and promotes lung epithelial cell healing to a greater degree.

Targeting the lung endothelial niche to promote angiogenesis and regeneration: A review of applications

Lung endothelial cells comprise the pulmonary vascular bed and account for the majority of cells in the lungs. Beyond their role in gas exchange, lung ECs form a specialized microenvironment, or niche, with important roles in health and disease. In early development, progenitor ECs direct alveolar development through angiogenesis. Following birth, lung ECs are thought to maintain their regenerative capacity despite the aging process. As such, harnessing the power of the EC niche, specifically to promote angiogenesis and alveolar regeneration has potential clinical applications. Here, we focus on translational research with applications related to developmental lung diseases including pulmonary hypoplasia and bronchopulmonary dysplasia. An overview of studies examining the role of ECs in lung regeneration following acute lung injury is also provided. These diseases are all characterized by significant morbidity and mortality with limited existing therapeutics, affecting both young children and adults.

Mesenchymal stem cell-derived extracellular vesicles suppress hyperoxia-induced transdifferentiation of rat alveolar type 2 epithelial cells

Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) remains the most important respiratory morbidity of preterm infants with few effective preventive strategies. Administration of mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) was considered effective to prevent BPD via paracrine extracellular vesicles (EVs), while appropriate regimens of MSC-EVs and the mechanism remain unclear. Therefore, we established a hyperoxia-induced rat BPD model, and examined the effect of early intraperitoneal MSC-EVs with different doses on BPD. We found that MSC-EVs ameliorated hyperoxia-induced lung injury in a dose-dependent manner, and high dose MSC-EVs ameliorated alveolar simplification and fibrosis. Also, MSC-EVs showed its beneficial effects on vascular growth and pulmonary hypertension. Primary AT2 cells were observed to transdifferentiate into AT1 cells when exposure to hyperoxia in vitro. Administration of MSC-EVs at the first-day culture significantly delayed the transdifferentiation of AT2 cells induced by hyperoxia. We further found that exposure to hyperoxia led to elevated expression of WNT5a mRNA and protein, a key agent in AT2 transdifferentiation, while MSC-EVs administration decreased it. Further study is warranted that MSC-EVs may delay the transdifferentiation of AT2 cells via WNT5a. These studies provide key preclinical evidence of MSC-EVs therapeutics on BPD and highlight the effect of MSC-EVs on suppressing the transdifferentiation of AT2 cells and its possible mechanism through downregulation of WNT5a.

Extracellular Vesicles Protect the Neonatal Lung from Hyperoxic Injury through the Epigenetic and Transcriptomic Reprogramming of Myeloid Cells

Rationale: Mesenchymal stem/stromal cell (MSC)-small extracellular vesicle (MEx) treatment has shown promise in experimental models of neonatal lung injury. The molecular mechanisms by which MEx afford beneficial effects remain incompletely understood. Objectives: To investigate the therapeutic mechanism of action through assessment of MEx biodistribution and impact on immune cell phenotypic heterogeneity. Methods: MEx were isolated from the conditioned medium of human umbilical cord Wharton's jelly-derived MSCs. Newborn mice were exposed to hyperoxia (HYRX, 75% O2) from birth and returned to room air at Postnatal Day 14 (PN14). Mice received either a bolus intravenous MEx dose at PN4 or bone marrow-derived myeloid cells (BMDMy) pretreated with MEx. Animals were killed at PN4, PN7, PN14, or PN28 to characterize MEx biodistribution or for assessment of pulmonary parameters. The therapeutic role of MEx-educated BMDMy was determined in vitro and in vivo. Measurements and Main Results: MEx therapy ameliorated core histological features of HYRX-induced neonatal lung injury. Biodistribution and mass cytometry studies demonstrated that MEx localize in the lung and interact with myeloid cells. MEx restored the apportion of alveolar macrophages in the HYRX-injured lung and concomitantly suppressed inflammatory cytokine production. In vitro and ex vivo studies revealed that MEx promoted an immunosuppressive BMDMy phenotype. Functional assays demonstrated that the immunosuppressive actions of BMDMy are driven by phenotypically and epigenetically reprogrammed monocytes. Adoptive transfer of MEx-educated BMDMy, but not naive BMDMy, restored alveolar architecture, blunted fibrosis and pulmonary vascular remodeling, and improved exercise capacity. Conclusions: MEx ameliorate hyperoxia-induced neonatal lung injury though epigenetic and phenotypic reprogramming of myeloid cells.

Fresh and Cryopreserved Human Umbilical-Cord-Derived Mesenchymal Stromal Cells Attenuate Injury and Enhance Resolution and Repair following Ventilation-Induced Lung Injury

Background: Ventilator-induced lung injury (VILI) frequently worsens acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) severity. Human mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (MSCs) offer considerable therapeutic promise, but the key impediments of clinical translation stem from limitations due to cell source and availability, and concerns regarding the loss of efficacy following cryopreservation. These experiments compared the efficacy of umbilical-cord-derived MSCs (UC-MSCs), a readily available and homogenous tissue source, to the previously more widely utilised bone-marrow-derived MSCs (BM-MSCs). We assessed their capacity to limit inflammation, resolve injury and enhance repair in relevant lung mechanical stretch models, and the impact of cryopreservation on therapeutic efficacy. Methods: In series 1, confluent alveolar epithelial layers were subjected to cyclic mechanical stretch (22% equibiaxial strain) and wound injury, and the potential of the secretome from BM- and UC-derived MSCs to attenuate epithelial inflammation and cell death, and enhance wound repair was determined. In series 2, anesthetized rats underwent VILI, and later received, in a randomised manner, 1 × 10⁷ MSCs/kg intravenously, that were: (i) fresh BM-MSCs, (ii) fresh UC-MSCs or (iii) cryopreserved UC-MSCs. Control animals received a vehicle (PBS). The extent of the resolution of inflammation and injury, and repair was measured at 24 h. Results: Conditioned medium from BM-MSCs and UC-MSCs comparably decreased stretch-induced pulmonary epithelial inflammation and cell death. BM-MSCs and UC-MSCs comparably enhanced wound resolution. In animals subjected to VILI, both fresh BM-MSCs and UC-MSCs enhanced injury resolution and repair, while cryopreserved UC-MSCs comparably retained their efficacy. Conclusions: Cryopreserved UC-MSCs can reduce stretch-induced inflammation and cell death, enhance wound resolution, and enhance injury resolution and repair following VILI. Cryopreserved UC-MSCs represent a more abundant, cost-efficient, less variable and equally efficacious source of therapeutic MSC product.

Mesenchymal Stromal Cells for the Treatment of Interstitial Lung Disease in Children: A Look from Pediatric and Pediatric Surgeon Viewpoints

Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) have been proposed as a potential therapy to treat congenital and acquired lung diseases. Due to their tissue-regenerative, anti-fibrotic, and immunomodulatory properties, MSCs combined with other therapy or alone could be considered as a new approach for repair and regeneration of the lung during disease progression and/or after post- surgical injury. Children interstitial lung disease (chILD) represent highly heterogeneous rare respiratory diseases, with a wild range of age of onset and disease expression. The chILD is characterized by inflammatory and fibrotic changes of the pulmonary parenchyma, leading to gas exchange impairment and chronic respiratory failure associated with high morbidity and mortality. The therapeutic strategy is mainly based on the use of corticosteroids, hydroxychloroquine, azithromycin, and supportive care; however, the efficacy is variable, and their long-term use is associated with severe toxicity. The role of MSCs as treatment has been proposed in clinical and pre-clinical studies. In this narrative review, we report on the currently available on MSCs treatment as therapeutical strategy in chILD. The progress into the therapy of respiratory disease in children is mandatory to ameliorate the prognosis and to prevent the progression in adult age. Cell therapy may be a future therapy from both a pediatric and pediatric surgeon's point of view.

Human Platelet Lysate Maintains Stemness of Umbilical Cord-Derived Mesenchymal Stromal Cells and Promote Lung Repair in Rat Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia

Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) show potential for treating preclinical models of newborn bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD), but studies of their therapeutic effectiveness have had mixed results, in part due to the use of different media supplements for MSCs expansion in vitro. The current study sought to identify an optimal culture supplement of umbilical cord-derived MSCs (UC-MSCs) for BPD therapy. In this study, we found that UC-MSCs cultured with human platelet lysate (hPL-UCMSCs) were maintained a small size from Passage 1 (P1) to P10, while UC-MSCs cultured with fetal bovine serum (FBS-UCMSCs) became wide and flat. Furthermore, hPL was associated with lower levels of senescence in UC-MSCs during in vitro expansion compared with FBS, as indicated by the results of β-galactosidase staining and measures of senescence-related genes (CDKN2A, CDKN1A, and mTOR). In addition, hPL enhanced the proliferation and cell viability of the UC-MSCs and reduced their doubling time in vitro. Compared with FBS-UCMSCs, hPL-UCMSCs have a greater potential to differentiate into osteocytes and chondrocytes. Moreover, using hPL resulted in greater expression of Nestin and specific paracrine factors (VEGF, TGF-β1, FGF2, IL-8, and IL-6) in UC-MSCs compared to using FBS. Critically, we also found that hPL-UCMSCs are more effective than FBS-UCMSCs for the treatment of BPD in a rat model, with hPL leading to improvements in survival rate, lung architecture and fibrosis, and lung capillary density. Finally, qPCR of rat lung mRNA demonstrated that hPL-UCMSCs had lower expression levels of inflammatory factors (TNF-α and IL-1β) and a key chemokine (MCP-1) at postnatal day 10, and there was significant reduction of CD68+ macrophages in lung tissue after hPL-UCMSCs transplantation. Altogether, our findings suggest that hPL is an optimal culture supplement for UC-MSCs expansion in vitro, and that hPL-UCMSCs promote lung repair in rat BPD disease.

Mesenchymal Stem Cells: Potential Therapeutic Prospect of Paracrine Pathways in Neonatal Infection

Infection is the leading cause of admission and mortality in neonatal intensive care units. Immature immune function and antibiotic resistance make the treatment more difficult. However, there is no effective prevention for it. Recently, more and more researches are focusing on stem cell therapy, especially mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs); their potential paracrine effect confer MSCs with a major advantage to treat the immune and inflammatory disorders associated with neonatal infection. In this review, we summarize the basal properties and preclinical evidence of MSCs and explore the potential mechanisms of paracrine factors of MSCs for neonatal infection.

Mesenchymal Stem Cells in the Treatment of COVID-19, a Promising Future

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are multipotent adult stem cells present in virtually all tissues; they have a potent self-renewal capacity and can differentiate into multiple cell types. They also affect the ambient tissue by the paracrine secretion of numerous factors in vivo, including the induction of other stem cells’ differentiation. In vitro, the culture media supernatant is named secretome and contains soluble molecules and extracellular vesicles that retain potent biological function in tissue regeneration. MSCs are considered safe for human treatment; their use does not involve ethical issues, as embryonic stem cells do not require genetic manipulation as induced pluripotent stem cells, and after intravenous injection, they are mainly found in the lugs. Therefore, these cells are currently being tested in various preclinical and clinical trials for several diseases, including COVID-19. Several affected COVID-19 patients develop induced acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) associated with an uncontrolled inflammatory response. This condition causes extensive damage to the lungs and may leave serious post-COVID-19 sequelae. As the disease may cause systemic alterations, such as thromboembolism and compromised renal and cardiac function, the intravenous injection of MSCs may be a therapeutic alternative against multiple pathological manifestations. In this work, we reviewed the literature about MSCs biology, focusing on their function in pulmonary regeneration and their use in COVID-19 treatment.

Development and Functional Characterization of Fetal Lung Organoids

Preterm infants frequently suffer from pulmonary complications due to a physiological and structural lung immaturity resulting in significant morbidity and mortality. Novel in vitro and in vivo models are required to study the underlying mechanisms of late lung maturation and to facilitate the development of new therapeutic strategies. Organoids recapitulate essential aspects of structural organization and possibly organ function, and can be used to model developmental and disease processes. We aimed at generating fetal lung organoids (LOs) and to functionally characterize this in vitro model in comparison to primary lung epithelial cells and lung explants ex vivo. LOs were generated with alveolar and endothelial cells from fetal rat lung tissue, using a Matrigel-gradient and air-liquid-interface culture conditions. Immunocytochemical analysis showed that the LOs consisted of polarized epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EpCAM)-positive cells with the apical membrane compartment facing the organoid lumen. Expression of the alveolar type 2 cell marker, RT2-70, and the Club cell marker, CC-10, were observed. Na⁺ transporter and surfactant protein mRNA expression were detected in the LOs. First time patch clamp analyses demonstrated the presence of several ion channels with specific electrophysiological properties, comparable to vital lung slices. Furthermore, the responsiveness of LOs to glucocorticoids was demonstrated. Finally, maturation of LOs induced by mesenchymal stem cells confirmed the convenience of the model to test and establish novel therapeutic strategies. The results showed that fetal LOs replicate key biological lung functions essential for lung maturation and therefore constitute a suitable in vitro model system to study lung development and related diseases.

The immunological link between neonatal lung and eye disease

Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) and retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) are two neonatal diseases of major clinical importance, arising in large part as a consequence of supplemental oxygen therapy used to promote the survival of preterm infants. The presence of coincident inflammation in the lungs and eyes of neonates receiving oxygen therapy indicates that a dysregulated immune response serves as a potential common pathogenic factor for both diseases. This review examines the current state of knowledge of immunological dysregulation in BPD and ROP, identifying similarities in the cellular subsets and inflammatory cytokines that are found in the alveoli and retina during the active phase of these diseases, indicating possible mechanistic overlap. In addition, we highlight gaps in the understanding of whether these responses emerge independently in the lung and retina as a consequence of oxygen exposure or arise because of inflammatory spill-over from the lung. As BPD and ROP are anatomically distinct, they are often considered discreet disease entities and are therefore treated separately. We propose that an improved understanding of the relationship between BPD and ROP is key to the identification of novel therapeutic targets to treat or prevent both conditions simultaneously.

Cellular Therapy for the Treatment of Paediatric Respiratory Disease

Respiratory disease is the leading cause of death in children under the age of 5 years old. Currently available treatments for paediatric respiratory diseases including bronchopulmonary dysplasia, asthma, cystic fibrosis and interstitial lung disease may ameliorate symptoms but do not offer a cure. Cellular therapy may offer a potential cure for these diseases, preventing disease progression into adulthood. Induced pluripotent stem cells, mesenchymal stromal cells and their secretome have shown great potential in preclinical models of lung disease, targeting the major pathological features of the disease. Current research and clinical trials are focused on the adult population. For cellular therapies to progress from preclinical studies to use in the clinic, optimal cell type dosage and delivery methods need to be established and confirmed. Direct delivery of these therapies to the lung as aerosols would allow for lower doses with a higher target efficiency whilst avoiding potential effect of systemic delivery. There is a clear need for research to progress into the clinic for the treatment of paediatric respiratory disease. Whilst research in the adult population forms a basis for the paediatric population, varying disease pathology and anatomical differences in paediatric patients means a paediatric-centric approach must be taken.

Mesenchymal stem cells from different sources show distinct therapeutic effects in hyperoxia-induced bronchopulmonary dysplasia in rats

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have been shown as an effective medicinal means to treat bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD). The widely used MSCs were from Wharton's jelly of umbilical cord (UC-MSCs) and bone marrow (BM-MSCs). Amniotic fluid MSCs (AF-MSCs) may be produced before an individual is born to treat foetal diseases by autoplastic transplantation. We evaluated intratracheal (IT) MSCs as an approach to treat an hyperoxia-induced BPD animal model and compared the therapeutic effects between AF-, UC- and BM-MSCs. A BPD animal model was generated by exposing newborn rats to 95% O₂ . The continued stress lasted 21 days, and the treatment of IT MSCs was conducted for 4 days. The therapeutic effects were analysed, including lung histology, level of inflammatory cytokines, cell death ratio and state of angiogenesis, by sacrificing the experimental animal at day 21. The lasting hyperoxia stress induced BPD similar to the biological phenotype. The treatment of IT MSCs was safe without deaths and normal organ histopathology. Specifically, the treatment was effective by inhibiting the alveolar dilatation, reducing inflammatory cytokines, inducing angiogenesis and lowering the cell death ratio. AF-MSCs had better therapeutic effects compared with UC-MSCs in relieving the pulmonary alveoli histological changes and promoting neovascularization, and UC-MSCs had the best immunosuppressive effect in plasma and lung lysis compared with AF-MSCs and BM-MSCs. This study demonstrated the therapeutic effects of AF-, UC- and BM-MSCs in BPD model. Superior treatment effect was provided by antenatal MSCs compared to BM-MSC in a statistical comparison.

Therapeutic Potential of Endothelial Progenitor Cells in Pulmonary Diseases

Compromised alveolar development and pulmonary vascular remodeling are hallmarks of pediatric lung diseases such as bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) and alveolar capillary dysplasia with misalignment of pulmonary veins (ACDMPV). Although advances in surfactant therapy, corticosteroids, and anti-inflammatory drugs have improved clinical management of preterm infants, still those who suffer with severe vascular complications lack viable treatment options. Paucity of the alveolar capillary network in ACDMPV causes respiratory distress and leads to mortality in a vast majority of ACDMPV infants. The discovery of endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) in 1997 brought forth the paradigm of postnatal vasculogenesis and hope for promoting vascularization in fragile patient populations, such as those with BPD and ACDMPV. The identification of diverse EPC populations, both hematopoietic and nonhematopoietic in origin, provided a need to identify progenitor cell selective markers which are linked to progenitor properties needed to develop cell-based therapies. Focusing to the future potential of EPCs for regenerative medicine, this review will discuss various aspects of EPC biology, beginning with the identification of hematopoietic, nonhematopoietic, and tissue-resident EPC populations. We will review knowledge related to cell surface markers, signature gene expression, key transcriptional regulators, and will explore the translational potential of EPCs for cell-based therapy for BPD and ACDMPV. The ability to produce pulmonary EPCs from patient-derived induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) in vitro, holds promise for restoring vascular growth and function in the lungs of patients with pediatric pulmonary disorders.