Stem Cell Res Ther
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Although blinding is a methodologic safeguard to ensure obtaining comparability of groups in a clinical trial, it is very difficult to maintain blinding from the beginning to the end of a study. The aim of the study was to see how proper blinding of both participants and treatment providers from the planning phase of the study to during the study affected the study outcomes. ⋯ Unblinding might be overestimating the treatment effect. These findings suggest that randomized controlled trials testing the efficacy of BMSC therapy should be appropriately designed and rigorously applied to avoid bias.
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Administration of bone marrow-derived cells produces beneficial effects in experimental extrapulmonary acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). However, there are controversies regarding the effects of timing of cell administration and initial insult severity on inflammatory response. We evaluated the effects of bone marrow-derived mononuclear cells (BMDMC) in two models of extrapulmonary ARDS once lung morphofunctional changes had already been installed. ⋯ BMDMC therapy at day 1 successfully reduced lung inflammation and remodeling, thus contributing to improvement of lung mechanics in both extrapulmonary ARDS models. Nevertheless, the different inflammatory responses induced by LPS and CLP resulted in distinct effects of BMDMC therapy. These data may be useful in the clinical setting, as they suggest that the type of initial insult plays a key role in the outcome of treatment.
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Experimental evidence has indicated a role of adult renal progenitor cells in kidney regeneration and a protective role of the kidney by erythropoietin (EPO) and suramin in animal models and in humans after acute kidney injury (AKI). Han and colleagues analyzed different therapeutic effects between mouse renal progenitor cells (MRPCs), MRPC/EPO, or MRPC/suramin on the regeneration and protection of renal function after AKI. Their results revealed that MRPCs in combination with EPO or suramin are able to attenuate renal damage and promote renal recovery after ischemia/reperfusion injury in a mouse model. The researchers concluded that the combined approach with MRPCs and EPO or suramin could be a new therapeutic strategy for AKI.
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Acute lung injury (ALI), and its more severe form, acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), are syndromes of acute hypoxemic respiratory failure resulting from a variety of direct and indirect injuries to the gas exchange parenchyma of the lungs. Current treatment of ALI/ARDS is primarily supportive, with lung protective ventilation and fluid conserving strategies. ⋯ Recent studies involving the administration of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) for the treatment of experimental ALI/ARDS have shown promising results. This review focuses on existing studies that have tested the use of MSCs in models of ALI/ARDS, and the potential mechanisms underlying their therapeutic effects.
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Cell therapy using adipose-derived stem cells has been reported to improve chronic wounds via differentiation and paracrine effects. One such strategy is to deliver stem cells in hydrogels, which are studied increasingly as cell delivery vehicles for therapeutic healing and inducing tissue regeneration. This study aimed to determine the behaviour of encapsulated adipose-derived stem cells and identify the secretion profile of suitable growth factors for wound healing in a newly developed thermoresponsive PEG-hyaluronic acid (HA) hybrid hydrogel to provide a novel living dressing system. ⋯ This study indicates that hADSCs can be maintained in a P-SH-HA hydrogel, and secrete pro-angiogenic growth factors with low cytotoxicity. With the potential to add more functionality for further structural modifications, this stem cell hydrogel system can be an ideal living dressing system for wound healing applications.