title: Intravenous adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cell therapy for the treatment of feline asthma: a pilot study.
abstract: The aim of this study was to evaluate the feasibility and efficacy of serially administered adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) in an experimental feline asthma model.
  
  
  
  Allergic asthma was acutely induced with Bermuda grass allergen in six purpose-bred cats. Five intravenous infusions of allogeneic MSCs (n = 4; MSC-treated) or saline (n = 2; placebo-treated) were administered over the first 130 days after asthma induction. Infusions contained 2 × 106, 4 × 106, 4.7 × 106, 1 × 107and 1 × 107cryopreserved MSCs/cat. For thoracic imaging additional cats were enrolled as control groups: four untreated, experimentally asthmatic cats (combined with placebo-treated cats), and six healthy, non-asthmatic cats. Outcome measures included airway eosinophilia, pulmonary mechanics, thoracic computed tomography and several immunologic assays.
  
  
  
  Cats were assessed for 9 months after treatment. At early points, airway eosinophil percentage was not affected by MSC administration (post-treatment average of days 12, 26, 47, 108 and 133 in MSC-treated cats was 41 ± 15% and in placebo-treated cats it was 34 ± 16%). By month 9, eosinophil percentages in all MSC-treated cats decreased to normal reference intervals (MSC-treated 6%; placebo-treated 20%; normal <17%). Diminished airway hyper-responsiveness was noted in all MSC-treated compared with placebo-treated cats at day 133 (dose of methacholine to double baseline airway resistance: MSC-treated median 22.9 mg/ml [range 6.4-64.0]; individual placebo-treated cats 1.1 and 5.0 mg/ml). Lung attenuation (mean ± SEM MSC-treated -865 ± 12 Hounsfield units [HU]; untreated asthmatics -820 ± 11 HU; P = 0.004) and bronchial wall thickening scores (median [interquartile range] MSC-treated 0 [0-1.5]; untreated asthmatic 11.6 [7.3-27.3]; P = 0.010) were significantly reduced in MSC-treated vs untreated asthmatic cats, consistent with decreased airway remodeling at month 9. No clear immunologic mechanisms by which MSCs act were determined.
  
  
  
  MSCs may have a delayed effect in reducing airway inflammation, airway hyper-responsiveness and remodeling in experimentally induced asthmatic cats. Results warrant additional investigation of MSC therapy for asthma in cats.
authors.affiliation: IndyVet Emergency and Specialty Hospital, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA.|Department of Veterinary Medicine and Surgery, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA.
authors.forename: Julie E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Trzil
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Medicine and Surgery, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA.
authors.forename: Isabelle
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Masseau
authors.affiliation: Center for Immune and Regenerative Medicine, Department of Clinical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA.
authors.forename: Tracy L
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Webb
authors.affiliation: College of Veterinary Medicine, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA.
authors.forename: Chee-Hoon
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Medicine and Surgery, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA.
authors.forename: John R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Dodam
authors.affiliation: Comparative Internal Medicine Laboratory, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA.
authors.forename: Hong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Center for Immune and Regenerative Medicine, Department of Clinical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA.
authors.forename: Jessica M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Quimby
authors.affiliation: Center for Immune and Regenerative Medicine, Department of Clinical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA.
authors.forename: Steven W
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Dow
authors.affiliation: Comparative Internal Medicine Laboratory, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA reineroc@missouri.edu.|Department of Veterinary Medicine and Surgery, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA.
authors.forename: Carol R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Reinero
mesh_terms: D000273:Adipose Tissue; D000485:Allergens / Q000276:immunology; D000818:Animals; D001249:Asthma / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000662:veterinary*; D002371:Cat Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D002415:Cats; D005260:Female; D007262:Infusions, Intravenous / Q000662:veterinary; D008297:Male; D059630:Mesenchymal Stem Cells; D010865:Pilot Projects; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests / Q000662:veterinary; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000662:veterinary; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000485:Allergens