title: Human amnion epithelial cells reduce ventilation-induced preterm lung injury in fetal sheep.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The objective of the study was to explore whether human amnion epithelial cells (hAECs) can mitigate ventilation-induced lung injury.
  
  
  METHODS
  An established in utero ovine model of ventilation-induced lung injury was used. At day 110 of gestation, singleton fetal lambs either had sham in utero ventilation (IUV) (n = 4), 12 hours of IUV alone (n = 4), or 12 hours of IUV and hAEC administration (n = 5). The primary outcome, structural lung injury, was assessed 1 week later.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared with sham controls, IUV alone was associated with significant lung injury: increased collagen (P = .03), elastin (P = .02), fibrosis (P = .02), and reduced secondary-septal crests (P = .009). This effect of IUV was significantly mitigated by the administration of hAECs: less collagen (P = .03), elastin (P = .04), fibrosis (P = .02), normalized secondary-septal crests (P = .02). The hAECs were immunolocalized within the fetal lung and had differentiated into type I and II alveolar cells.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The hAECs mitigate ventilation-induced lung injury and differentiated into alveolar cells in vivo.
authors.affiliation: The Ritchie Centre, Monash Institute of Medical Research, Clayton, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: Ryan J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Hodges
authors.forename: Graham
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Jenkin
authors.forename: Stuart B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Hooper
authors.forename: Beth
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Allison
authors.forename: Rebecca
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lim
authors.forename: Hayley
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Dickinson
authors.forename: Suzie L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Miller
authors.forename: Patricia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Vosdoganes
authors.forename: Euan M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Wallace
mesh_terms: D000199:Actins / Q000378:metabolism; D000650:Amnion / Q000166:cytology*; D000818:Animals; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000637:transplantation*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D047928:Premature Birth; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012756:Sheep; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1 / Q000378:metabolism; D055397:Ventilator-Induced Lung Injury / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*
chemical_list: D000199:Actins; D015415:Biomarkers; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1