RESUMO
OBJECTIVE: To examine the potential therapeutic effect of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) for experimental scleroderma. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fifty-four mice six-week-old (30-35 g) were studied. Hypochlorous acid (HOCl) induced scleroderma was considered. Mice were divided into 3 groups: (I) Control: Six mice did not receive any treatment and were sacrificed at the end of the experiment; (II) HOCl mice (induced scleroderma as a positive control): (III) MSCs-treated HOCl mice: Thirty six HOCl-induced mice were injected with MSCs (7.5 × 105) intravenous every week for 3 weeks. Skin pieces were taken from the backs of mice and lung tissue pieces. a smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) and transforming growth factor-ß (TGF-ß1) were analysed or fixed in 10 % formalin for skin and lung tissue histopathological analysis. Plasma nitric oxide (NO) was also assayed. RESULTS: There was a significant rise in the NO level and of the cutaneous and lung tissue α-SMA and TGF-ß1 in untreated scleroderma-induced mice. The values significantly normalized after MSC therapy over the 7 weeks duration of the study. The altered histopathology of the skin and lung tissues in the scleroderma-induced mice showed a remarkable tendency to normalization of the skin and lung parenchyma and vasculature. CONCLUSION: There was a significant rise in the level of NO and skin and lung tissue α-SMA and TGF-ß1 in untreated scleroderma-induced mice and values were significantly normalized after MSC therapy over the 7 weeks duration of the study. Altered histopathology of the skin and lung appeared nearly normal after MSC therapy.
