Department of Thoracic Surgery, China Medical University Affiliated Shengjing Hospital, Shenyang, China.
Transplantation. 2011 Sep 27;92(6):620-6. doi: 10.1097/TP.0b013e31822a4082.
Epithelium regeneration and revascularization of tracheal implants are challenging issues to be solved in tracheal transplantation research. Bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) can migrate to the damaged tissue and promote functional restoration. Here, we applied intravenous transplantation of BMSCs combined with a cryopreserved allograft to investigate the role of BMSCs in enhancing implant survival, tracheal epithelium regeneration and revascularization.
After transplantation with cryopreserved allografts, PKH-26 labeled 3 to 5 passage BMSCs were injected into recipient rats through the tail vein. Rats in the control groups were injected with a comparable amount of phosphate-buffered saline. We observed the histology of the tracheal allograft and measured vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) protein levels in the epithelium to evaluate the effect of BMSCs on epithelium regeneration and revascularization.
Histologic observation of the rats from the BMSCs injection groups showed that the tracheal lumen was covered by pseudostriated ciliated columnar epithelium. The cartilage structure was intact. There were no signs of denaturation or necrosis. PKH-26 labeled BMSCs migrated to the implant site and exhibited red fluorescence, with the brightest red fluorescence at the anastomotic site. VEGF protein levels in the allograft epithelium of the BMSCs injection group were higher than the levels in the phosphate-buffered saline injection group.
Our results indicate that given systemic administration, BMSCs may enhance epithelium regeneration and revascularization by upregulating VEGF expression.
气管移植研究中，气管植入物的上皮再生和再血管化是需要解决的挑战问题。骨髓间充质干细胞（BMSCs）可迁移至受损组织并促进功能恢复。在此，我们应用 BMSCs 静脉移植联合冷冻保存同种异体移植物，研究 BMSCs 在增强植入物存活率、气管上皮再生和再血管化中的作用。
在移植冷冻保存同种异体移植物后，将 PKH-26 标记的 3 至 5 代 BMSCs 通过尾静脉注入受体大鼠。对照组大鼠注射等量磷酸盐缓冲盐水。我们观察气管同种异体移植物的组织学并测量上皮中的血管内皮生长因子（VEGF）蛋白水平，以评估 BMSCs 对上皮再生和再血管化的影响。
BMSCs 注射组大鼠的组织学观察显示，气管腔被假复层纤毛柱状上皮覆盖。软骨结构完整，无变性或坏死迹象。PKH-26 标记的 BMSCs 迁移至植入部位并呈现红色荧光，在吻合部位的荧光最亮。BMSCs 注射组同种异体移植物上皮中的 VEGF 蛋白水平高于磷酸盐缓冲盐水注射组。
我们的结果表明，通过系统给药，BMSCs 可能通过上调 VEGF 表达来增强上皮再生和再血管化。
