Mechanisms of interactions between lung‐origin telocytes and mesenchymal stem cells to treat experimental acute lung injury

Zhang, Ding; Song, Dongli; Shi, Lin; Sun, Xiaoru; Zheng, Yonghua; Zeng, Yiming; Wang, Xiangdong

Acute lung injury is a serious form and major cause of patient death and still needs efficient therapies. The present study evidenced that co‐transplantation of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and telocytes (TCs) improved the severity of experimental lung tissue inflammation, edema, and injury, where TCs increased MSCs migration into the lung and the capacity of MSCs proliferation and movement. Of molecular mechanisms, Osteopontin‐dominant networks were active in MSCs and TCs, and might play supportive and nutrimental roles in the interaction between MSCs and TCs, especially activated TCs by lipopolysaccharide. The interaction between epidermal growth factor and its receptor from MSCs and TCs could play critical roles in communications between MSCs and TCs, responsible for MSCs proliferation and movement, especially after inflammatory activation. Our studies provide the evidence that TCs possess nutrimental and supportive roles in implanted MSCs, and co‐transplantation of MSCs and TCs can be a new alternative in the therapy of acute lung injury.