Zhang Z, Shan XY, Liang C, Zhao L, Shan XQ. Microvesicles derived from mesenchymal stem cells: A promising therapeutic strategy for acute respiratory distress syndrome-related pulmonary fibrosis? World J Stem Cells 2025; 17(1): 101036 [DOI: 10.4252/wjsc.v17.i1.101036]
Corresponding Author of This Article
Lan Zhao, MD, PhD, Professor, Tianjin Institute of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, The First Teaching Hospital of Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, No. 88 Changling Road, Xiqing District, Tianjin 300381, China. lanzhao69@163.com
Research Domain of This Article
Respiratory System
Article-Type of This Article
Letter to the Editor
Open-Access Policy of This Article
This article is an open-access article which was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/
World J Stem Cells. Jan 26, 2025; 17(1): 101036 Published online Jan 26, 2025. doi: 10.4252/wjsc.v17.i1.101036
Microvesicles derived from mesenchymal stem cells: A promising therapeutic strategy for acute respiratory distress syndrome-related pulmonary fibrosis?
Zhao Zhang, Xin-Yun Shan, Ce Liang, Lan Zhao, Xiao-Qian Shan
Zhao Zhang, Xiao-Qian Shan, The First Teaching Hospital of Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin 300381, China
Xin-Yun Shan, Shandong Medical College, Jinan 276000, Shandong Province, China
Ce Liang, Hebei Normal University of Science and Technology, Qinhuangdao 066004, Hebei Province, China
Lan Zhao, Tianjin Institute of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, The First Teaching Hospital of Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin 300381, China
Co-corresponding authors: Lan Zhao and Xiao-Qian Shan.
Author contributions: Zhang Z contributed to the writing - review & editing, original draft, visualization, validation, resources, project administration, and methodology; Zhao L and Shan XQ participated in the supervision of this manuscript; Shan XY and Liang C contributed to the paper format and layout. All corresponding authors attest to equal contributions in this article.
Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China, No. 82174442.
Conflict-of-interest statement: All the authors report no relevant conflicts of interest for this article.
Open-Access: This article is an open-access article that was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: https://creativecommons.org/Licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Corresponding author: Lan Zhao, MD, PhD, Professor, Tianjin Institute of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, The First Teaching Hospital of Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, No. 88 Changling Road, Xiqing District, Tianjin 300381, China. lanzhao69@163.com
Received: September 3, 2024 Revised: November 24, 2024 Accepted: December 16, 2024 Published online: January 26, 2025 Processing time: 138 Days and 24 Hours
Abstract
Pulmonary fibrosis significantly contributes to the pathogenesis of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), markedly increasing patient mortality. Despite the established anti-fibrotic effects of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), numerous challenges hinder their clinical application. A recent study demonstrated that microvesicles (MVs) from MSCs (MSC-MVs) could attenuate ARDS-related pulmonary fibrosis and enhance lung function via hepatocyte growth factor mRNA transcription. This discovery presents a promising strategy for managing ARDS-associated pulmonary fibrosis. This article initially examines the safety and efficacy of MSCs from both basic science and clinical perspectives, subsequently exploring the potential and obstacles of employing MSC-MVs as a novel therapeutic approach. Additionally, it provides perspectives on future research into the application of MSC-MVs in ARDS-associated pulmonary fibrosis.
Core Tip: Pulmonary fibrosis serves as a critical predictor of adverse outcomes in patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome. Currently, effective treatments for pulmonary fibrosis are notably scarce in clinical settings, highlighting the need for the identification of safe and effective therapeutic strategies. This study supports the Chen et al’s conclusion. To deepen our understanding of this novel therapeutic option, we initially review the safety and efficacy of mesenchymal stem cells therapy. Subsequently, we elaborate on the potential applications and challenges associated with mesenchymal stem cells-microvesicles as an emerging therapeutic modality.
