Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell transplantation for treatment of emphysemic rats

To study the efficacy of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) transplantation to treat pulmonary emphysema in rats. Sixty rats were randomly divided into control, model and transplantation groups. Each group contained 20 rats. Rat models of emphysema were established via intratracheal instillation of lipopolysaccharide and exposure of model and transplantation groups to smoke. Then, cultured bone marrow MSCs were injected into rats in the transplantation group via the tail vein. Pathological changes of the lung in rats were observed. Emphysemic pathological changes were found in model and transplantation groups, but changes were significantly attenuated after transplantation, compared with that of the model group. The mean alveoli number (MAN) and pulmonary alveolar area (PAA) showed statistically significant differences among the three groups (P < 0.001). The MAN in the transplantation group was higher than that in the model group, but still lower than that in the control group. The PAA in the transplantation group was lower than that in the model group, but higher than that in the control group (P < 0.05). After transplantation, Brdu-positive cells were observed and CK was expressed in a small number of Brdu-positive cells. Brdu- and CK-positive cells were not found in control and model groups. Transplantation of bone marrow MSCs can significantly attenuate lung inflammation and pathological changes in emphysemic rats, which may be associated with MSC differentiation into alveolar epithelial cells in recipient lung tissues.