Br J Pharmacol. 2011 May;163(1):106-15. doi: 10.1111/j.1476-5381.2011.01246.x.

Treatment of COPD

Is a regenerative approach viable for the treatment of COPD?

Hind M, Maden M.

Source

Royal Brompton Hospital, National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College, London, UK. m.hind@imperial.ac.uk

Abstract

Degenerative lung diseases such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are common with huge worldwide morbidity. Anti-inflammatory drug development strategies have proved disappointing and current treatment is aimed at symptomatic relief. Only lung transplantation with all its attendant difficulties offers hope of cure and the outlook for affected patients is bleak. Lung regeneration therapies aim to reverse the structural and functional deficits in COPD either by delivery of exogenous lung cells to replace lost tissue, delivery of exogenous stem cells to induce a local paracrine effect probably through an anti-inflammatory action or by the administration of small molecules to stimulate the endogenous regenerative ability of lung cells. In animal models of emphysema and disrupted alveolar development each of these strategies has shown some success but there are potential tumour-inducing dangers with a cellular approach. Small molecules such as all-trans retinoic acid have been successful in animal models although the mechanism is not completely understood. There are currently two Pharma-sponsored trials in progress concerning patients with COPD, one of a specific retinoic acid receptor gamma agonist and another using mesenchymal stem cells.
© 2011 The Authors. British Journal of Pharmacology © 2011 The British Pharmacological Society.  This information about treatment of COPD provided by The British Journal of Pharmacology.

PMID: 21265829 [PubMed – in process]

PMCID: PMC3085872 [Available on 2012/5/1]