Mesenchymal stem cells ameliorate partial bladder outlet obstruction-induced epithelial-mesenchymal transition type II independent of mast cell recruitment and degranulation.

Introduction: Partial bladder outlet obstruction (pBOO) results in increased urinary storage pressure and significant morbidity. Increased pressure results in a sequence of programmed events: an initial inflammatory phase, smooth muscle hypertrophy, and fibrosis. Although epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and mast cell accumulation play intermediary roles in some fibrotic conditions, their role in pBOO has not yet been elucidated.

Intraperitoneal administration of mesenchymal stem cells is effective at mitigating detrusor deterioration after pBOO.

Partial bladder outlet obstruction (pBOO) results in bladder fibrosis that is initiated by an inflammatory cascade and the decompensation after smooth muscle hypertrophy. We have been using an animal model to develop the hypothesis that mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are able to mitigate this cytokine cascade and prevent bladder deterioration. We hypothesized that intraperitoneal administration of MSCs can produce the same effects as intravenously administered cells but may require higher dosing.

Mesenchymal stem cells inhibit hypoxia-induced inflammatory and fibrotic pathways in bladder smooth muscle cells.

Purpose: Partial bladder outlet obstruction is a multifactorial urological condition in which hypoxia plays a significant role. We recently investigated hypoxia's role as a single stressor and found that hypoxia induced an intense inflammatory and profibrotic switch in bladder smooth muscle cells (bSMCs). With the immunomodulatory capacity of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), we aimed to investigate if the hypoxia-signaling pathways can be mitigated using MSCs.

Hypoxia-increased expression of genes involved in inflammation, dedifferentiation, pro-fibrosis, and extracellular matrix remodeling of human bladder smooth muscle cells.

Partial bladder outlet obstruction (pBOO) is characterized by exaggerated stretch, hydrodynamic pressure, and inflammation which cause significant damage and fibrosis to the bladder wall. Several studies have implicated hypoxia in its pathophysiology. However, the isolated progressive effects of hypoxia on bladder cells are not yet defined.

Stem Cell Therapy: Current Applications and Potential for Urology.

Stem cell therapy holds the potential to revolutionize the treatment of a number of chronic conditions. Stem cells ability to home in on injured sites of the body, stimulate angiogenesis, tissue regeneration, immunomodulation, anti-inflammatory, and anti-fibrotic factors have attracted their use in the treatment of many conditions. Urology has registered one of the highest experimental successes using stem cell therapy.