Development of a novel treatment for neonatal chronic lung disease by stem cells

2018 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 16K19683
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Embryonic/Neonatal medicine
• Research Institution: Nagoya University
• Principal Investigator: Saito Akiko 名古屋大学, 医学部附属病院, 病院助教 (50615276)
• Research Collaborator: Sato Yoshiaki ; Suzuki Toshihiko
• Project Period (FY): 2016-04-01 – 2019-03-31
• Keywords: 新生児慢性肺疾患 / 幹細胞

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Neonatal chronic lung disease (CLD) is still an important complication in very low birth weight infants (VLBW). Stem cell therapy using various cell sources has been recently identified as a novel therapy for CLD. Multilineage-differentiating stress-enduring (Muse) cells are a novel type of endogenous stem cells that are able to self-renew, display pluripotency. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the treatment effect of Muse cells on CLD using a rat model.
In this study, we have shown that (1) intravenously injected Muse cells migrated into injured lung in CLD model rats, and the number of them was higher than that of non-Muse Mesenchymal Stem Cells (MSCs). (2) Muse cells injected intravenously ameliorated impaired alveolar growth induced by hyperoxia in the rat model, and the beneficial effect was much more evident than that done by non-Muse MSCs. (3) Muse cells, but not non-Muse cells, ameliorated impaired pulmonary hypertension in the CLD model.

Free Research Field

新生児学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

慢性肺疾患（CLD）は、新生児医療の重大かつ頻度の高い合併症であり、有効な治療法のない現状では、新規治療法の開発は急務である。本研究では、Muse細胞投与において、肺に生着した細胞は肺細胞へ分化し、肺組織、肺機能の改善をもたらすことを明らかにした。
本研究成果は、これまで有効な治療法のないCLDに対し、新規治療につながる画期的なものであり、今後の周産期医療の発展に大きく貢献するものと思われる。