Autologous transplantation of P63+ lung progenitor cells in patients with bronchiectasis: a randomized, single-blind, controlled trial
Non-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis is a severe respiratory disease characterized by progressive loss of lung function, resulting in high morbidity and even early mortality. Current treatments cannot repair progressive lung damage, which encouraged the exploration of stem and progenitor cell-based regenerative therapies. In current study, we found that the P63+ progenitor cells normally located in airway basal layer could appear in the alveolar spaces of bronchiectasis patients. We successfully cloned and expanded the progenitor cells from the airway brushing tissues of patients. Then we conducted a randomized, single-blind, controlled, phase 1/2 trial to evaluate the safety and efficacy of autologous P63+ progenitor cells transplantation in bronchiectasis patients. Overall design: Via bronchoscopy, a small amount of 3-5th level bronchi tissue sample were collected from patients. The obtained tissue was washed and enzymatically digested to form a single-cell suspension, which was then cultured under regenerative cell cloning system. In total, we conducted whole-genome RNA sequencing to analyze the transcriptome of P63+ progenitors from 7 patients with non-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis for comparative analysis.