Mesenchymal stem cell therapy shows promise for MS: Review
Treatments led to improvements in disability, but more research is needed
Mesenchymal stem cell therapy shows promise for treating multiple sclerosis (MS), with improvements seen in disability, walking ability, vision, and auditory function, according to a recent review of published studies.
The approach also seems to be well tolerated by people with MS, but more research is needed on its long-term safety and efficacy, researchers noted.
Those are the conclusions drawn by researchers in a review paper, “Mesenchymal stem cells in clinical trials for multiple sclerosis: A systematic literature review and review of clinical trials,” which was published in Multiple Sclerosis and Related Disorders.Â
Review analyzed findings of mesenchymal stem cell therapy trials
Mesenchymal stem cells, or MSCs, are specialized stem cells that are able to grow into certain types of supportive and connective tissue. They can also secrete signaling molecules to modulate the activity of nearby cells, and studies have shown that this can have anti-inflammatory and nerve-protecting effects.
Based on these observations, several studies have tested MSC-based treatments as a potential treatment for MS, a disease characterized by inflammation that causes damage to nerve cells.
For this paper, a team of scientists in Iran conducted a review of scientific literature to assess what is currently known about MSC therapy in MS. The review covered findings from 34 clinical trials of MSCs in MS patients.
“The goal of this systematic review is to look at how well mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) therapy works and how safe it is for treating multiple sclerosis (MS) by carefully examining the clinical trial evidence that is available,” the researchers wrote.
Studies varied in terms of dose used, how stems cells were administered
The researchers noted there was variability from study to study in terms of where MSCs were obtained. Some studies used MSCs derived from fat tissue or bone marrow, while others used MSCs from umbilical cords.
There was also some variability in the dose used and in how MSCs were administered. Most studies either delivered the cells intravenously (by infusion into the bloodstream) or intrathecally (by injection into the spinal canal), but some used a combination of both methods.
Safety data from across the studies were overall encouraging, the researchers said. None of the studies reported severe or life-threatening reactions to MSC therapy. The most commonly reported side effects were headache, fatigue, and low-grade fever, which were generally mild and temporary.
Efficacy data from the studies also showed promise. Some patients reported notable reductions in disability and improvements in functional abilities following MSC therapy, specifically in visual, walking, and cognitive functions. Benefits were reported to last several years in some studies.
Larger, controlled trials with extended follow-ups are essential to confirm efficacy, ensure safety, and explore potential mechanisms of action in disease modification.
Although the available research shows promise, the researchers stressed that trials to date have had some notable limitations. Most of these studies were small, designed mainly to assess safety, and did not include a placebo group for comparison. These limitations, paired with the variability in study design, mean it’s not yet possible to draw any definitive conclusions about the long-term safety or effectiveness of MSC therapy for MS.
The scientists called for further large-scale efforts to gather more data about this type of treatment.
“Larger, controlled trials with extended follow-ups are essential to confirm efficacy, ensure safety, and explore potential mechanisms of action in disease modification,” the scientists concluded.
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