Potential role of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells in obstructive sleep apnea

Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSA) is a prevalent disease caused by increased collapsibility of the upper airway. OSA induces oxidative stress, inflammation and endothelial dysfunction, with important clinical consequences such as neurocognitive alterations and cardiovascular diseases. Although it has been shown that bone marrow-derived stem cells play a protective and reparative function in several diseases involving inflammatory processes and endothelial dysfunction, the data currently available on the potential role of adult stem cells in OSA are scarce. The present review presents recent data on the potential role of bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) in OSA. The results obtained in animal models that realistically mimic the events characterizing this sleep breathing disorder strongly support the notion that MSC are mobilized in circulating blood and then activated to play an anti-inflammatory role in OSA.