Therapeutic Prospect of Adipose-Derived Stromal Cells for the Treatment of Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm

Aneurysm refers to the dilation of the vessel wall for more than 50%. Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) refers to the dilation and weakening of all three layers of the abdominal aorta, which mostly occur infrarenally. The population aged above 50 years is at risk of AAA development, while a familiar history doubles the risk. Progression of AAA can cause immanent rupture of the vascular wall and has a high mortality and morbidity risk. They are additional risk factors for AAA development such as gender, smoking, and dyslipidemia. In general, pathological features of AAA include inflammation, degradation of the extracellular matrix (ECM), and smooth muscle cell apoptosis. The main pathophysiology of AAA development is still unknown. Besides available treatment modalities for large AAA, which associate with a high mortality risk, effective, alternative, and safer treatments are required, preferably already at an early stage of AAA. For the last decades, tissue engineering and regenerative medicine showed promising potential therapeutic effects for various (cardiovascular) diseases, including AAA. Adipose tissue-derived stromal cells (ADSC) are a candidate source of stem cells for regenerative medicine. ADSC are isolated from adipose tissue with low risk and are easily cultured and expanded while maintaining their multipotency. In addition, due to their differentiation capacity and trophic factor production, ADSC serve an important role in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine modalities. In this review, we will highlight the main pathobiology of AAA and introduce ADSC as a new promising therapeutic source for small AAA.