Stem Cells and Lung Regeneration

Tissues such as the lung, liver, and pancreas that have a low steady-state cell turnover yet can respond robustly after injury to replace damaged cells. The airway epithelium is exposed to inhaled particles and pathogens that may lead to the development of a many infectious and inflammatory respiratory diseases. Lung transplantation is an accepted modality of treatment for end-stage lung diseases. Since the early 1990 s, more than 26,000 lung transplants have been performed at centers worldwide. However, the availability of donor tissues and organs is limited, which presents a serious limitation for widespread transplantation surgery. The appearance of bioengineered lung and tracheal tissue transplants is considered a promising alternative to the classical transplantation of donor organ/tissue. Stem cells therapy arises as a new therapeutic approach, with a wide application potential.

The Effect of Bone Marrow Mononuclear Cells on Lung Regeneration and Apoptosis in a Simple Model of Pulmonary Emphysema

BACKGROUND: In severe chronic stages of emphysema the only treatment is lung transplantation. SO, an urgent need exists for the development of effective treatments. Stem cells therapy arises as a new therapeutic approach. AIM OF THE WORK: To investigate whether bone marrow mononuclar cells (BMMNCs) can promote lung regeneration and decrease apoptosis in lipopolysaccharide (LPS) induced pulmonary emphysema in C57Bl/6 mice. MATERIAL AND METHODS: 14 weeks old female mice (C57Bl/6), weighing around 25 g were used in this study. The mice were divided into 4 groups (10 in each group): group A: mice received no treatment, group B: mice received intranasal instillation of LPS with no further treatment, group C: mice received intranasal instillation of LPS then given a dose of BMMNCs and evaluated 21 days later and group D: the mice that received intranasal instillation of LPS then given a dose of Dulbecco's Modified Eagle's Medium (DMEM) and evaluated 21 days later. Imaging analysis was done using imagej program. To measure apoptotic index, Anti-caspase 3 polyclonal antibody staining was done. RESULTS: Analysis of the mean of airspace equivalent diameters (D0) and its statistical distribution (D1) for the different groups allowed to observe that group treated with BMMNCs (group C) showed the significant improvement in D0 and D1 than the group received LPS only (group B). Analysis of apoptotic index showed significant difference between BMMNCs treated group (group C) and that received LPS only (group B). CONCLUSIONS: BMMNCs effectively promote lung regeneration and reduction of apoptosis in pulmonary emphysema.

Association between HCV induced mixed cryoglobulinemia and pulmonary affection: the role of TNF-alpha in the pathogenesis of pulmonary changes

Chronic hepatitis C virus [HCV] infection is associated with both pulmonary involvement and cryoglobulinemia. Therefore, this study was designed to investigate the relationship between pulmonary involvement and mixed cryoglobulinemia in chronic HCV infected patients and to investigate the role of TNF-alpha in the pathogenesis of pulmonary changes. After hospital ethics committee approval and formal patient consent were obtained, 100 patients with compensated hepatitis C virus infection as confirmed by PCR were recruited in this cross sectional study. Their demographic and laboratory data, abdominal ultrasound findings, pulmonary function tests [spirometry], arterial blood gas [ABG] parameters, TNF-alpha levels, and data from high-resolution chest CT were collected and analyzed using SPSS version 16, and a serum cryoglobulin assay was performed in all of the studied patients The prevalence of mixed cryoglobulinemia was 61.7% in the studied HCV patients. Pulmonary symptoms were observed in more than half of these patients. The most common complaint among the symptomatic patients was dyspnea [51.7%], followed by cough [43.3%]. Oxygen saturation [Spo[2] and Sao[2]%], and FEVi and FVC levels, were significantly decreased in the cryoglob-ulin positive patients compared to the cryoglobulin negative patients. A statistically significant correlation was found between the presence of cryoglobulins and FEV level, FVC level, serum albumin level, viremia level, thrombocytopenia and arterial blood gas parameters. No correlation was found between cryoglobulinemia and TNF-alpha level. The results of this study suggest that pulmonary involvement is common in patients with chronic HCV infection and mixed cryoglobulinemia. Cryoglobulinemia may lead to pulmonary involvement through vascular and interstitial deposition of cryoglobulins, which results in impaired gas exchange and airway affection

KI67 and P53 alterations in ulcerative colitis related dysplasia

Ulcerative colitis [UC] is a relapsing and remitting disease characterized by acute non-infectious inflammation and shallow ulceration with increased risk of carcinoma in long standing cases. This study was designed for application of new grading activity system. and assessement of Ki67 and P53 alterations in UC cases complicated with dysplasia. This study was performed on 99 colorectal endoscopic biopsy specimens. Sections stained with Haematoxyline and eosin were examined for the diagnostic criteria of UC. Immunohistochemistery staining for p53 and Ki67 done only for the dysplastic cases. The following lesions were diagnosed in the 99 collected cases:11 cases show chronic nonspecific colitis without fulfilling the criteria of diagnosis of ulcerative colitis.88 cases were diagnosed as ulcerative colitis and its related dysplasia, they include: 63 cases UC with no associated dyspiasia, 25 cases UC with dysplasia divided into: a] 12 cases as indefinite for dysplasia. b] 6 cases with low grade dysplasia, c] 3 cases with high grade dysplasia, and d] 4 cases lost during immunohistochemical preparation. UC grading system of activity should be applied in UC cases to evaluate the present activity and so the treatment, UC cases with dysplasia must have routine immunohistochemistery staining of both P53 and Ki67 to evaluate the type of dyspiasia especially indefinite for dyspiasia. Low grade dyspiasia show positive staining for both P53 and Ki 67 in lower two thirds of crypt epithelium, while high grade dyspiasia show positive staining for both P53 and Ki 67 in the whole crypt epithelium