A gene therapy induced emphysema model and the protective role of stem cells.
BACKGROUND
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease presents with two different phenotypes: chronic bronchitis and emphysema with parenchymal destruction. Decreased expression of vascular endothelial growth factor and increased endothelial cell apoptosis are considered major factors for emphysema. Stem cells have the ability of vascular regeneration and function as a repair mechanism for the damaged endothelial cells. Currently, minimally invasive interventional procedures such as placement of valves, bio-foam or coils are performed in order to improve the disturbed mechanical function in emphysema patients. However, these procedures cannot restore functional lung tissue. Additionally stem cell instillation into the parenchyma has been used in clinical studies aiming to improve overall respiratory function and quality of life.


METHODS
In our current experiment we induced emphysema with a DDMC non-viral vector in BALBC mice and simultaneously instilled stem cells testing the hyposthesis that they might have a protective role against the development of emphysema. The mice were divided into four groups: a) control, b) 50.000 cells, c) 75.000 and d) 100.000 cells.


RESULTS
Lung pathological findings revealed that all treatment groups had less damage compared to the control group. Additionally, we observed that emphysema lesions were less around vessels in an area of 10 μm.


CONCLUSIONS
Our findings indicate that stem cell instillation can have a regenerative role if applied upon a tissue scaffold with vessel around.
The virtual slide(s) for this article can be found here: http://www.diagnosticpathology.diagnomx.eu/vs/13000_2014_195.
Pulmonary Department, "G. Papanikolaou" General Hospital, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece. pzarog@hotmail.com.
Paul
P
Zarogoulidis
II Medical Department, "Coburg" Regional Department, University of Wuerzburg, Coburg, Germany. w.h-s@gmx.de.
Wolfgang
W
Hohenforst-Schmidt
Department of Respiratory Diseases, Changhai Hospital/First Affiliated Hospital of the Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China. haidonghuang126@outlook.com.
Haidong
H
Huang
Experimental Animal Laboratory, "Theiageneio" Anticancer Hospital, Thessaloniki, Greece. despoinasachpatzidou@yahoo.com.
Despoina
D
Sahpatzidou
Department of Interventional Pneumology, Ruhrlandklinik, West German Lung Center, University Hospital, University Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany. lutzfreitag777@yahoo.com.
Lutz
L
Freitag
Pathology Department, "G. Papanikolaou" General Hospital, Thessaloniki, Greece. sakle1@yahoo.gr.
Leonidas
L
Sakkas
Pulmonary Department, "Sotiria" Hospital of Chest Diseases, Athens, Greece. raptiaggeliki@yahoo.com.
Aggeliki
A
Rapti
Pulmonary Department, "G. Papanikolaou" General Hospital, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece. ikioum@yahoo.gr.
Ioannis
I
Kioumis
Pulmonary Department, "G. Papanikolaou" General Hospital, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece. gpitsiou@yahoo.gr.
Georgia
G
Pitsiou
Department of Histology Embryology, School of Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece. kokkonakouzi@outlook.com.
Kokkona
K
Kouzi-Koliakos
Pathology Department, "G. Papanikolaou" General Hospital, Thessaloniki, Greece. papamichailanna@outlook.com.
Anna
A
Papamichail
Pulmonary Department, "G. Papanikolaou" General Hospital, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece. antonispapaiwannou@yahoo.com.
Antonis
A
Papaiwannou
Internal Medicine Department, "Thegenio" Anticancer Hospital, Thessaloniki, Greece. theodoratsiouda@yahoo.com.
Theodora
T
Tsiouda
Cardiothoracic Surgery Department, Saint "Luke" Private Hospital, Thessaloniki, Panorama, Greece. kosjohn@otenet.gr.
Kosmas
K
Tsakiridis
Pulmonary Department, "G. Papanikolaou" General Hospital, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece. kporpodis@yahoo.gr.
Konstantinos
K
Porpodis
Pulmonary Department, "G. Papanikolaou" General Hospital, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece. sofialampaki@yahoo.gr.
Sofia
S
Lampaki
Pulmonary Department, "G. Papanikolaou" General Hospital, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece. johnorgantzis@outlook.com.
John
J
Organtzis
Pathology Department, Hospital of Amberg, Amberg, Germany. wendtnerandreas@yahoo.com.
Andreas
A
Gschwendtner
Pulmonary Department, "G. Papanikolaou" General Hospital, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece. zarog@med.auth.gr.
Konstantinos
K
Zarogoulidis
D000818:Animals; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003637:DEAE-Dextran; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D017930:Genes, Reporter; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D045164:Mesenchymal Stem Cell Transplantation; D059630:Mesenchymal Stem Cells / Q000378:metabolism; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D011656:Pulmonary Emphysema / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D012038:Regeneration; D014162:Transfection
D003637:DEAE-Dextran