The role of lung resident mesenchymal stromal cells in the pathogenesis and repair of chronic lung disease

Mesenchymal stromal/stem cells are multipotent adult cells that can be extracted from numerous tissues, including the lungs. Lung-resident MSCs (LR-MSCs) are localized to perivascular spaces where they act as important regulators of pulmonary homeostasis, mediating the balance between lung injury/damage and repair processes. LR-MSCs support the integrity of the lung tissue via modulation of the immune response and release of trophic factors. However, in the context of chronic lung diseases, the ability of LR-MSCs to maintain pulmonary homeostasis and facilitate repair is diminished. In this setting, LR-MSC can contribute to the pathogenesis of disease, through their altered secretory and immunomodulatory properties. In addition, they are capable of differentiating into myofibroblasts, thereby contributing to the fibrotic aspects of numerous lung diseases. For example, in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, a variety of factors can stimulate their differentiation into myofibroblasts including tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-(α), transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1), endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, Hedgehog (HH), and Wingless/integrated (Wnt) signaling. Here, we review the current literature on the characterization of LR-MSCs and describe their roles in pulmonary homeostasis/repair and in the pathogenesis of chronic lung disease.