Human lung stem cells and uses thereof

Abstract

Embodiments of the invention relate to human stem cells and their therapeutic use in the treatment and/or prevention of lung diseases. Provided herein are compositions comprising c-kit positive human lung stem cells and methods of preparing and using c-kit positive human lung stem cells for the treatment and/or prevention of lung diseases.

1 . A pharmaceutical composition comprising an isolated population of cells from a human lung tissue, the isolated population of cells is enriched for c-kit positive lung stem cells and is negative for at least one marker of the hematopoietic lineage, mast cell lineage, mesenchymal stromal cell lineage, epithelial lineage and/or endothelial cell lineage, and a pharmaceutical acceptable carrier. 
     
     
         2 . The pharmaceutical composition of  claim 1 , wherein the lung tissue is from an adult. 
     
     
         3 . The pharmaceutical composition of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one marker of a hematopoietic lineage is selected from the group consisting of CD34, CD45, and CD133. 
     
     
         4 . The pharmaceutical composition of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one marker of a mast cell lineage is selected from the group consisting of CD6, CD29, CD49d, CD49e, CD45 and tryptase. 
     
     
         5 . The pharmaceutical composition of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one marker of a mesenchymal stromal cell lineage is selected from the group consisting of CD44, CD90 and CD105. 
     
     
         6 . The pharmaceutical composition of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one marker of an epithelial cell lineage is selected from the group consisting of TTF1, p63, pan-cytokeratin, cytokeratin 5, CC10, aquaporin-5 and SPC. 
     
     
         7 . The pharmaceutical composition of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one marker of an endothelial cell and smooth muscle lineages is selected from the group consisting of Est1, vWF1, GATA 6, and alpha-SMA. 
     
     
         8 . The pharmaceutical composition of  claim 1 , wherein the c-kit cells are further negative for CD2, CD3, CD8, CD14, CD16, CD19, CD20, CD24, CD66b, and glycophorin A. 
     
     
         9 . The pharmaceutical composition of  claim 1 , wherein the c-kit cells are further expanded ex vivo.