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Isolation and Characterization of Human Umbilical Cord-derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells from Preterm and Term Infants
Published on: January 26, 2019
Stem cell therapy for neonatal diseases associated with preterm birth
Alessandro Borghesi1, Claudia Cova, Diego Gazzolo
1Neonatal Intensive Care Unit and Laboratory of Neonatal Immunology, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, Pavia, Italy.
Journal of Clinical Neonatology
|September 13, 2013
Summary
Stem cell therapies show promise for treating extremely preterm infants, potentially preventing lung and brain diseases like bronchopulmonary dysplasia and periventricular leukomalacia by addressing tissue simplification.
Area of Science:
- Neonatal Medicine
- Regenerative Medicine
- Developmental Biology
Background:
- Antenatal steroids and surfactant improve survival for extremely preterm infants.
- These infants face high risks of oxidative stress, infection, and subsequent lung/brain diseases.
- Newer sequelae include bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) and periventricular leukomalacia (PVL), characterized by tissue simplification.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the potential of stem cell-based therapies for extremely preterm infants.
- To investigate stem/progenitor cell loss as a cause of tissue simplification in BPD and PVL.
- To evaluate the efficacy of cell transplantation for preventing/treating BPD, PVL, and other prematurity complications.
Main Methods:
- Review of recent data on stem/progenitor cell populations in developing lungs and brains.
- Analysis of pathogenesis in new BPD and PVL, focusing on tissue simplification.
- Consideration of preclinical models for stem cell transplantation protocols.
Main Results:
- Tissue simplification and developmental arrest are hallmarks of new BPD and PVL.
- Loss of stem/progenitor cells is implicated in the pathogenesis of tissue simplification.
- Various cell types (e.g., MSCs, EPCs, HAECs) are candidates for therapeutic transplantation.
Conclusions:
- Stem cell transplantation holds potential for preventing and treating BPD, PVL, and other sequelae in preterm infants.
- Further preclinical research is necessary to address issues before clinical translation.
- Targeting stem/progenitor cell populations may offer a novel therapeutic strategy.
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