Mechanisms of systemic immunomodulation following mesenchymal stromal cell therapy in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is an incurable disease of the airways that is characterised by chronic inflammation. Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) are the most clinically evaluated cell therapy to date, and have shown promising results in treating inflammation in pre-clinical models for COPD. This thesis describes the clinical and immunological changes following MSC infusions in COPD patients in a phase I clinical trial. The findings of this thesis provide valuable mechanistic insights which support the use of MSCs as a cell-based therapy that can target inflammatory processes associated with COPD pathogenesis.