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Stromal Progenitor Cells in Mitigation of Non-hematopoietic Radiation Injuries

  • Tissue Pathobiology: Stem Cells, Reprogramming, Regenerative Medicine, Tissue Engineering (J Roy-Chowdhury, Section Editor)
  • Published:
Current Pathobiology Reports

Abstract

Purpose of Review

Therapeutic exposure to high doses of radiation can severely impair organ function due to ablation of stem cells. Normal tissue injury is a dose-limiting toxicity for radiation therapy (RT). Although advances in the delivery of high-precision conformal RT has increased normal tissue sparing, mitigating and therapeutic strategies that could alleviate early and chronic radiation effects are urgently needed in order to deliver curative doses of RT, especially in abdominal, pelvic, and thoracic malignancies. Radiation-induced gastrointestinal injury is also a major cause of lethality from accidental or intentional exposure to whole-body irradiation in the case of nuclear accidents or terrorism. This review examines the therapeutic options for mitigation of non-hematopoietic radiation injuries.

Recent Findings

We have developed stem cell-based therapies for the mitigation of acute radiation syndrome and radiation-induced gastrointestinal syndrome. This is a promising option because of the robustness of standardized isolation and transplantation of stromal cell protocols, and their ability to support and replace radiation-damaged stem cells and stem cell niche. Stromal progenitor cells (SPC) represent a unique multipotent and heterogeneous cell population with regenerative, immunosuppressive, anti-inflammatory, and wound-healing properties. SPC are also known to secrete various key cytokines and growth factors such as platelet-derived growth factors, keratinocyte growth factor, R-spondins, and may consequently exert their regenerative effects via paracrine function. Additionally, secretory vesicles such as exosomes or microparticles can potentially be a cell-free alternative replacing the cell transplant in some cases.

Summary

This review highlights the beneficial effects of SPC on tissue regeneration with their ability to (a) target the irradiated tissues, (b) recruit host stromal cells, (c) regenerate endothelium and epithelium, (d) and secrete regenerative and immunomodulatory paracrine signals to control inflammation, ulceration, wound healing, and fibrosis.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by NIH Grant U19 AI091175 and U01DK103155.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Radiation Oncology, Montefiore Medical Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, 111 East 210th Street, Bronx, NY, 10467, USA

    Shilpa Kulkarni & Chandan Guha

  2. Division of Digestive and Liver Diseases, Department of Medicine, Irving Cancer Research Center, Columbia University, New York, NY, 10032, USA

    Timothy C. Wang

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  1. Shilpa Kulkarni
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  2. Timothy C. Wang
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Correspondence to Chandan Guha.

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Shilpa Kulkarni, Timothy Wang, and Chandan Guha declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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This article is part of the Topical Collection on Tissue Pathobiology: Stem Cells, Reprogramming, Regenerative Medicine, Tissue Engineering.

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Kulkarni, S., Wang, T.C. & Guha, C. Stromal Progenitor Cells in Mitigation of Non-hematopoietic Radiation Injuries. Curr Pathobiol Rep 4, 221–230 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40139-016-0114-6

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