Stem cell experiments moves into clinic: New hope for children with bronchopulmonary dysplasia

Abstract

Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) is a chronic lung disease with longterm complications that affects mainly preterm born children with low birth weights, especially those treated with mechanical ventilation and oxygen therapy. Successful treatment of BPD could reduce the incidence of other diseases of prematurity such as periventricular leukomalacia and retinopathy. The effects of current therapies are unsatisfactory; thus, searching for novel therapeutic is underway. One promising approach seems administration of mesenchymal stem cells (MSC). Preclinical data strongly support the role of progenitor cells in the preservation of lung structure. MSC can be found more often in pre-term than term umbilical cord and its isolation from Wharton’s jelly carries a potential in treating diseases of prematurity. Several questions concerning the use of MSC in BPD remain to be answered, including the amount of transferred cells, intervals between infusions, the best route for administration and the timing. MSC can be administered as a treatment or prophylaxis. However, having in mind that not all prematurely born children are at risk of developing bronchopulmonary dysplasia, a search for laboratory markers identifying potential patients should be conducted. This review summarizes the latest achievements in MSC therapy in the context of BPD.