scholarly journals Impaired Fetal Lung Development can be Rescued by Administration of Extracellular Vesicles Derived from Amniotic Fluid Stem Cells

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lina Antounians ◽  
Vincenzo D. Catania ◽  
Louise Montalva ◽  
Benjamin D. Liu ◽  
Huayun Hou ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Stem Cells ◽  
Amniotic Fluid ◽  
Extracellular Vesicles ◽  
Lung Development ◽  
Pulmonary Hypoplasia ◽  
Fetal Lung ◽  
Branching Morphogenesis ◽  
Amniotic Fluid Stem Cells ◽  
Fetal Lung Development ◽  
Regenerative Ability

AbstractIncomplete lung development, also known as pulmonary hypoplasia, is a recognized cause of neonatal death and poor outcome for survivors. To date, there is no effective treatment that promotes fetal lung growth and maturation. Herein, we describe a novel stem cell-based approach that enhances fetal lung development via the administration of extracellular vesicles (EVs) derived from amniotic fluid stem cells (AFSCs). In experimental models of pulmonary hypoplasia, administration of AFSC-EVs promoted lung branching morphogenesis and alveolarization, and stimulated pulmonary epithelial cell and fibroblast differentiation. This regenerative ability was confirmed in two models of injured human lung cells, where human AFSC-EVs obtained following good manufacturing practices restored pulmonary epithelial homeostasis. AFSC-EV beneficial effects were exerted via the release of RNA cargo, primarily miRNAs, that regulate the expression of genes involved in fetal lung development. Our findings suggest that AFSC-EVs hold regenerative ability for underdeveloped fetal lungs, demonstrating potential for therapeutic application.One Sentence SummaryFetal lung regeneration via administration of extracellular vesicles derived from amniotic fluid stem cells

scholarly journals Fetal lung underdevelopment is rescued by administration of amniotic fluid stem cell extracellular vesicles in rodents

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (590) ◽  
pp. eaax5941
Author(s):  
Lina Antounians ◽  
Vincenzo D. Catania ◽  
Louise Montalva ◽  
Benjamin D. Liu ◽  
Huayun Hou ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Stem Cell ◽  
Epithelial Cells ◽  
Amniotic Fluid ◽  
Extracellular Vesicles ◽  
Lung Development ◽  
Pulmonary Hypoplasia ◽  
Fetal Lung ◽  
Branching Morphogenesis ◽  
Lung Growth ◽  
Regenerative Ability

Fetal lung underdevelopment, also known as pulmonary hypoplasia, is characterized by decreased lung growth and maturation. The most common birth defect found in babies with pulmonary hypoplasia is congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH). Despite research and clinical advances, babies with CDH still have high morbidity and mortality rates, which are directly related to the severity of lung underdevelopment. To date, there is no effective treatment that promotes fetal lung growth and maturation. Here, we describe a stem cell–based approach in rodents that enhances fetal lung development via the administration of extracellular vesicles (EVs) derived from amniotic fluid stem cells (AFSCs). Using fetal rodent models of pulmonary hypoplasia (primary epithelial cells, organoids, explants, and in vivo), we demonstrated that AFSC-EV administration promoted branching morphogenesis and alveolarization, rescued tissue homeostasis, and stimulated epithelial cell and fibroblast differentiation. We confirmed this regenerative ability in in vitro models of lung injury using human material, where human AFSC-EVs obtained following good manufacturing practices restored pulmonary epithelial homeostasis. Investigating EV mechanism of action, we found that AFSC-EV beneficial effects were exerted via the release of RNA cargo. MicroRNAs regulating the expression of genes involved in lung development, such as the miR17–92 cluster and its paralogs, were highly enriched in AFSC-EVs and were increased in AFSC-EV–treated primary lung epithelial cells compared to untreated cells. Our findings suggest that AFSC-EVs hold regenerative ability for underdeveloped fetal lungs, demonstrating potential for therapeutic application in patients with pulmonary hypoplasia.

scholarly journals Amniotic fluid stem cell extracellular vesicles promote fetal lung branching and cell differentiation in experimental congenital diaphragmatic hernia

2022 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kasra Khalaj ◽  
Rebeca Lopes Figueira ◽  
Lina Antounians ◽  
Sree Gandhi ◽  
Matthew Wales ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Amniotic Fluid ◽  
Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia ◽  
Extracellular Vesicles ◽  
Diaphragmatic Hernia ◽  
Lung Development ◽  
Pulmonary Hypoplasia ◽  
Fetal Lung ◽  
Branching Morphogenesis ◽  
Neuroendocrine Cells ◽  
Beta Catenin

Pulmonary hypoplasia secondary to congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) is characterized by impaired branching morphogenesis and differentiation. We have previously demonstrated that administration of extracellular vesicles derived from rat amniotic fluid stem cells (AFSC-EVs) rescues development of hypoplastic lungs at the pseudoglandular and alveolar stages in rodent models of CDH. Herein, we tested whether AFSC-EVs exert their regenerative effects at the canalicular and saccular stages, as these are translationally relevant for clinical intervention. To induce fetal pulmonary hypoplasia, we gavaged rat dams with nitrofen at embryonic day 9.5 and demonstrated that nitrofen-exposed lungs had impaired branching morphogenesis, dysregulated signaling pathways relevant to lung development (FGF10/FGFR2, ROBO/SLIT, Ephrin, Neuropilin 1, beta-catenin) and impaired epithelial and mesenchymal cell marker expression at both stages. AFSC-EVs administered to nitrofen-exposed lung explants rescued airspace density and increased the expression levels of key factors responsible for branching morphogenesis. Moreover, AFSC-EVs rescued the expression of alveolar type 1 and 2 cell markers at both canalicular and saccular stages, and restored markers of club, ciliated epithelial, and pulmonary neuroendocrine cells at the saccular stage. AFSC-EV treated lungs also had restored markers of lipofibroblasts and PDGFRA+ cells to control levels at both stages. EV tracking showed uptake of AFSC-EV RNA cargo throughout the fetal lung and an mRNA-miRNA network analysis identified that several miRNAs responsible for regulating lung development processes were contained in the AFSC-EV cargo. These findings suggest that AFSC-EV based therapies hold potential for restoring fetal lung growth and maturation in babies with pulmonary hypoplasia secondary to CDH.

scholarly journals Autophagy is impaired in fetal hypoplastic lungs and rescued by administration of amniotic fluid stem cell extracellular vesicles

2022 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kasra Khalaj ◽  
Lina Antounians ◽  
Rebeca Lopes Figueira ◽  
Martin Post ◽  
Augusto Zani
Keyword(s):  
Stem Cell ◽  
Amniotic Fluid ◽  
Extracellular Vesicles ◽  
Pulmonary Hypoplasia ◽  
Fetal Lung ◽  
Branching Morphogenesis ◽  
Lung Epithelial Cells ◽  
Normal Lung ◽  
Amniotic Fluid Stem Cell ◽  
Human Fetal Lung

Rationale: Pulmonary hypoplasia secondary to congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) is characterized by reduced branching morphogenesis, which is responsible for poor clinical outcomes. Administration of amniotic fluid stem cell extracellular vesicles (AFSC-EVs) rescues branching morphogenesis in rodent fetal models of pulmonary hypoplasia. Herein, we hypothesized that AFSC-EVs exert their regenerative potential by affecting autophagy, a process required for normal lung development. Objectives: To evaluate autophagy in hypoplastic lungs throughout gestation and establish whether AFSC-EV administration improves branching morphogenesis through autophagy-mediated mechanisms. Methods: EVs were isolated from c-kit+ AFSC conditioned medium by ultracentrifugation and characterized for size, morphology, and EV markers. Branching morphogenesis was inhibited in rat fetuses by nitrofen administration to dams and in human fetal lung explants by blocking RAC1 activity with NSC23766. Expression of autophagy activators (BECN1 and ATG5) and adaptor (SQSTM1/p62) was analyzed in vitro (rat and human fetal lung explants) and in vivo (rat fetal lungs). Mechanistic studies on rat fetal primary lung epithelial cells were conducted using inhibitors for microRNA-17 and -20a contained in the AFSC-EV cargo and known to regulate autophagy. Measurements and Main Results: Rat and human models of fetal pulmonary hypoplasia showed reduced autophagy mainly at pseudoglandular and canalicular stages. AFSC-EV administration restored autophagy in both pulmonary hypoplasia models by transferring miR-17~92 cluster members contained in the EV cargo. Conclusions: AFSC-EV treatment rescues branching morphogenesis partly by restoring autophagy through miRNA cargo transfer. This study enhances our understanding of pulmonary hypoplasia pathogenesis and creates new opportunities for fetal therapeutic intervention in CDH babies.

Distribution of laminin 5, integrin receptors, and branching morphogenesis during human fetal lung development

2002 ◽  
Vol 225 (2) ◽  
pp. 176-185 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christelle Coraux ◽  
Guerrino Meneguzzi ◽  
Patricia Rousselle ◽  
Edith Puchelle ◽  
Dominique Gaillard
Keyword(s):  
Lung Development ◽  
Fetal Lung ◽  
Branching Morphogenesis ◽  
Integrin Receptors ◽  
Laminin 5 ◽  
Fetal Lung Development ◽  
Human Fetal Lung

scholarly journals Oxidative Stress in Alzheimer’s Disease: In Vitro Therapeutic Effect of Amniotic Fluid Stem Cells Extracellular Vesicles

2020 ◽  
Vol 2020 ◽  
pp. 1-13
Author(s):  
Martina Gatti ◽  
Manuela Zavatti ◽  
Francesca Beretti ◽  
Daniela Giuliani ◽  
Eleonora Vandini ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Oxidative Stress ◽  
Alzheimer’S Disease ◽  
Alzheimer's Disease ◽  
Stem Cells ◽  
Amniotic Fluid ◽  
Extracellular Vesicles ◽  
Therapeutic Potential ◽  
Amniotic Fluid Stem Cells ◽  
Vitro Model

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is characterized by abnormal protein aggregation, deposition of extracellular β-amyloid proteins (Aβ), besides an increase of oxidative stress. Amniotic fluid stem cells (AFSCs) should have a therapeutic potential for neurodegenerative disorders, mainly through a paracrine effect mediated by extracellular vesicles (EV). Here, we examined the effect of EV derived from human AFSCs (AFSC-EV) on the disease phenotypes in an AD neuron primary culture. We observed a positive effect of AFSC-EV on neuron morphology, viability, and Aβ and phospho-Tau levels. This could be due to the apoptotic and autophagic pathway modulation derived from the decrease in oxidative stress. Indeed, reactive oxygen species (ROS) were reduced, while GSH levels were enhanced. This modulation could be ascribed to the presence of ROS regulating enzymes, such as SOD1 present into the AFSC-EV themselves. This study describes the ROS-modulating effects of extracellular vesicles alone, apart from their deriving stem cell, in an AD in vitro model, proposing AFSC-EV as a therapeutic tool to stop the progression of AD.

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