Related Experiment Video
Updated: Dec 21, 2025
Intratracheal Instillation of Stem Cells in Term Neonatal Rats
Published on: May 4, 2020
Intratracheal Instillation of Stem Cells in Term Neonatal Rats
Chung-Ming Chen1, Yue-Jun Chen2, Zheng-Hao Huang2
1Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University; Department of Pediatrics, Taipei Medical University Hospital; cmchen@tmu.edu.tw.
Insights
Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) offer a safe and feasible treatment for premature infants with lung injury. Intratracheal MSCs show promise in preventing bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) and improving respiratory outcomes.
Area of Science:
- Neonatal respiratory medicine
- Stem cell therapy
- Pulmonary research
Background:
- Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) is a significant complication in premature infants, often resulting from lung injury due to prolonged oxygen exposure.
- While corticosteroids are considered for BPD prevention, systemic use in preterm infants carries risks of long-term adverse effects.
- Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) have demonstrated safety and feasibility in preclinical and early human trials for hyperoxia-induced lung injuries.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the efficacy of intratracheal mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) as a treatment for neonatal lung injury.
- To explore the potential of MSCs in preventing bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) in a preclinical model.
- To assess the viability of intratracheal stem cell administration as a clinical strategy for respiratory disorders in newborns.
Main Methods:
- Utilized newborn rats, whose lung development parallels that of human fetuses at 26-28 weeks gestation, as a model for preterm infants.
- Administered mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) via intratracheal instillation to assess their protective effects against hyperoxia-induced lung injury.
- Investigated the safety and feasibility of intratracheal stem cell delivery in the context of neonatal respiratory distress.
Main Results:
- Intratracheal MSC transplantation demonstrated protective effects against neonatal hyperoxic lung injury in the rat model.
- The intratracheal instillation technique was confirmed as a clinically viable method for delivering stem cells and therapeutic agents to the lungs.
- Preclinical findings support the safety and feasibility of MSCs for treating lung injury in preterm neonates.
Conclusions:
- Intratracheal administration of mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) is a promising strategy for managing neonatal lung injury and preventing bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD).
- Combined therapy involving stem cells, surfactant, and glucocorticoids presents a novel approach for treating respiratory disorders in newborns.
- The study validates intratracheal stem cell delivery as a practical and effective therapeutic option for preterm infants with respiratory distress.
Abstract:
Prolonged exposure to high concentrations of oxygen leads to inflammation and acute lung injury, which is similar to human bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD). In premature infants, BPD is a major complication despite early use of surfactant therapy, optimal ventilation strategies, and noninvasive positive pressure ventilation. Because pulmonary inflammation plays a crucial role in the pathogenesis of BPD, corticosteroid use is one potential treatment to prevent it. Nevertheless, systemic corticosteroid treatment is not usually recommended for preterm infants due to long-term adverse effects. Preclinical studies and human phase I clinical trials demonstrated that use of mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) in hyperoxia-induced lung injuries and in preterm infants is safe and feasible. Intratracheal and intravenous MSC transplantation has been shown to protect against neonatal hyperoxic lung injury. Therefore, intratracheal administration of stem cells and combined surfactant and glucocorticoid treatment has emerged as a new strategy to treat newborns with respiratory disorders. The developmental stage of rat lungs at birth is equivalent to that in human lungs at 26-28 week of gestation. Hence, newborn rats are appropriate for studying intratracheal administration to preterm infants with respiratory distress to evaluate its efficacy. This intratracheal instillation technique is a clinically viable option for delivery of stem cells and drugs into the lungs.
