title: Therapeutic implications of mesenchymal stem cells in acute lung injury/acute respiratory distress syndrome.
abstract: 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. Despite improvement in these strategies, recent data indicate that the mortality of ALI/ARDS is still as high as 30 to 50%. Thus, there is a need for innovative therapies to further improve clinical outcomes of ALI/ARDS. 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.
authors.forename: Yan-Yang
authors.initials: YY
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Xiu-Zhong
authors.initials: XZ
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Li-Bing
authors.initials: LB
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D055371:Acute Lung Injury / Q000628:therapy*; D000818:Animals; D006801:Humans; D045164:Mesenchymal Stem Cell Transplantation; D059630:Mesenchymal Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology; D019899:Paracrine Communication; D012128:Respiratory Distress Syndrome / Q000628:therapy*