THERAPEUTIC EFFECTS OF HYPOXIA-PRECONDITIONED BONE MARROW DERIVED MESENCHYMAL STROMAL CELLS AND THEIR EXTRACELLULAR VESICLES IN EXPERIMENTAL PULMONARY ARTERIAL HYPERTENSION

Introduction: Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a progressive disease characterized by an imbalance between vasoactive mediators and vascular remodeling. Considering the few treatments options to minimize vascular remodeling, studies have demonstrated the therapeutic potential of bone marrow derived mesenchymal stromal cells (BM-MSCs) and their extracellular vesicles (EVs). However, in vitro culture does not represent the physiological environment in which BM-MSCs are growth. For instance, the oxygen level in bone marrow is very low, while during in vitro culture, BM-MSC is subjected to increased oxygen levels which can impair their therapeutic performance.