Hudson Institute researchers are lifting the lid on a treatment promising the benefits of stem cells but none of the drawbacks, offering potential to reduce the lifelong impacts of perinatal lung and brain injuries. The findings are published in the journal Stem Cells Translational Medicine . Their research aims to help children born preterm who are at increased risk of developing bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) and cerebral palsy (CP).
Dr. Ishmael Inocencio led a comprehensive review of research into extracellular vesicles (EVs) derived from human amniotic epithelial cells (hAECs), finding they have characteristics that give them therapeutic advantages over traditional cell-based therapies. Potential new treatment for perinatal lung and brain injury "There is plenty of evidence to show the ability of both hAECs and hAEC-EVs to treat perinatal cerebral and pulmonary injury, given their anti-inflammatory and regenerative properties," Dr.
Inocencio said. "Whole cell therapy has shown significant therapeutic potential in the context of perinatal brain and lung injury. However, EVs are a biological therapeutic that can be more easily scaled and distributed.
Evidence also suggests that EVs could offer a better safety profile compared to whole cells." "The research is ongoing, but EV could potentially be the next frontier in biological therapy." "After examining all the available literature, we suggest that further research regarding therapeutic mechanisms and regulatory framework.