Defining human mesenchymal stem cell efficacy in vivo

Human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) can reduce inflammation and promote tissue repair in various diseases, but their effectiveness varies. This study explores how to assess the ability of hMSCs to modulate the immune system in living organisms, using a mouse model of acute asthma. The study uses an ovalbumin challenge model of acute asthma in mice, a quick way to measure how well hMSCs can reduce inflammation in the lungs. Researchers measured the ability of hMSCs to reduce cell recruitment caused by the ovalbumin challenge. The data suggests a link between a traditional test for hMSC differentiation potential (the ceramic cube score) and the ability of hMSCs to reduce cellular recruitment in the asthma model. This supports using the ovalbumin model to assess hMSC potency and efficacy for treating airway inflammation in asthma.

• 1
  hMSCs are well tolerated in the murine model of acute asthma, suggesting that hMSCs can favorably change the outcome of asthmatic inflammation without the pathology associated with cross-species application.
• 2
  hMSCs given after the induction of airway disease dramatically reverse the airway inflammation associated with the ovalbumin model of acute asthma.
• 3
  There is a correlation between the traditional ceramic cube score to hMSCs attenuation of cellular recruitment due to ovalbumin challenge.