PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Nadia S. Brienza
AU  - Óscar Amor-Carro
AU  - Teresa Bigorra
AU  - Oriol Sibila
AU  - Vicente Plaza
AU  - Antolín López-Viña
AU  - Carlos Martínez-Rivera
AU  - Alfons Torrego
AU  - David Ramos-Barbón
TI  - Airway smooth muscle expresses mesenchymal stem cell marker Stro-1 in asthma
DP  - 2013 Sep 01
TA  - European Respiratory Journal
PG  - P867
VI  - 42
IP  - Suppl 57
4099  - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/42/Suppl_57/P867.short
4100  - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/42/Suppl_57/P867.full
SO  - Eur Respir J2013 Sep 01; 42
AB  - Introduction: Mesenchymal stem cells (MSC)s have immunomodulatory properties and reduce airway inflammation in experimental asthma. However, potential uses of MSCs for asthma therapies are challenged by the evidence that airway smooth muscle remodeling may in part occur through the recruitment and differentiation of fibrocytes, a bone marrow-derived progenitor cell of myeloid lineage. Aims and objectives: Here we tested if Stro-1, a marrow stromal MSC marker not expressed by hematopoietic cells, is present in airway smooth muscle. Methods: Bronchial biopsies from severe asthmatics (n=8) and non-asthmatic controls (n=4) were immunostained using monoclonal mouse IgM Stro-1 clone. Airway smooth muscle mass was measured as smooth muscle surface area, digitally extracted from hematoxylin & eosin stained sections, referenced to biopsy area (dimensionless). Data analysis was done with Mann-Whitney's U test. Results: Asthmatics had increased airway smooth muscle mass (0.68 ± 0.04 versus 0.24 ± 0.02 for controls, mean ± standard error, P = 0.007). Stro-1, present in airway smooth muscle as spotted antigen clusters, was increased in asthmatics (2.37 ± 0.76 versus 0.25 ± 0.14, clusters/mm2, P = 0.028). Conclusions: The data suggest that different progenitor cell populations may be recruited during airway smooth muscle remodeling in asthma, and cells of stromal MSC origin may be involved. Further research and solid preclinical development are warranted for MSC-based asthma therapies.Funded by FIS, SEPAR, FUCAP.