Safety Of Stem Cell Transplantation Research Articles

Efficacy and safety of stem cell transplantation for multiple sclerosis: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a common autoimmune neurological disease affecting patients’ motor, sensory, and visual performance. Stem Cell Transplantation (SCT) is a medical intervention where a patient is infused with healthy stem cells with the purpose of resetting their immune system. SCT shows remyelinating and immunomodulatory functions in MS patients, representing a potential therapeutic option. We conducted this systematic review and meta-analysis that included randomized control trials (RCTs) of SCT in MS patients to investigate its clinical efficacy and safety, excluding observational and non-English studies. After systematically searching PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, and Cochrane Library until January 7, 2024, nine RCTs, including 422 patients, were eligible. We assessed the risk of bias (ROB) in these RCTs using Cochrane ROB Tool 1. Data were synthesized using Review Manager version 5.4 and OpenMeta Analyst software. We also conducted subgroup and sensitivity analyses. SCT significantly improved patients expanded disability status scale after 2 months (N = 39, MD = − 0.57, 95% CI [− 1.08, − 0.06], p = 0.03). SCT also reduced brain lesion volume (N = 136, MD = − 7.05, 95% CI [− 10.69, − 3.4], p = 0.0002). The effect on EDSS at 6 and 12 months, timed 25-foot walk (T25-FW), and brain lesions number was nonsignificant. Significant adverse events (AEs) included local reactions at MSCs infusion site (N = 25, RR = 2.55, 95% CI [1.08, 6.03], p = 0.034) and hematological disorders in patients received immunosuppression and autologous hematopoietic SCT (AHSCT) (N = 16, RR = 2.33, 95% CI [1.23, 4.39], p = 0.009). SCT can improve the disability of MS patients and reduce their brain lesion volume. The transplantation was generally safe and tolerated, with no mortality or significant serious AEs, except for infusion site reactions after mesenchymal SCT and hematological AEs after AHSCT. However, generalizing our results is limited by the sparse number of RCTs conducted on AHSCT. Our protocol was registered on PROSPERO with a registration number: CRD42022324141.

Effects of Oral Cavity Stem Cell Sources and Serum-Free Cell Culture on Hydrogel Encapsulation of Mesenchymal Stem Cells for Bone Regeneration: An In Vitro Investigation.

To develop a stem cell delivery model and improve the safety of stem cell transplantation for bone regeneration, this study aimed to determine the effects of stem cell sources, serum-free cell culture, and hydrogel cell encapsulation on the growth and osteogenic differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) from the oral cavity. The study groups were categorized according to stem cell sources into buccal fat pad adipose (hBFP-ADSCs) (Groups 1, 4, and 7), periodontal ligament (hPDLSCs) (Groups 2, 5, and 8), and dental pulp-derived stem cells (hDPSCs) (Groups 3, 6, and 9). MSCs from each source were isolated and expanded in three types of sera: fetal bovine serum (FBS) (Groups 1-3), human serum (HS) (Groups 4-6), and synthetic serum (SS) (StemPro™ MSC SFM) (Groups 7-9) for monolayer (m) and hydrogel cell encapsulation cultures (e). Following this, the morphology, expression of MSC cell surface antigens, growth, and osteogenic differentiation potential of the MSCs, and the expression of adhesion molecules were analyzed and compared. SS decreased variations in the morphology and expression levels of cell surface antigens of MSCs from three cell sources (Groups 7m-9m). The levels of osteoblastic differentiation of the hPDLSCs and hBFP-ADSCs were increased in SS (Groups 8m and 7m) and the cell encapsulation model (Groups 1e, 4e, 7e-9e), but the promoting effects of SS were decreased in a cell encapsulation model (Groups 7e-9e). The expression levels of the alpha v beta 3 (ITG-αVβ3) and beta 1 (ITG-β1) integrins in the encapsulated cells in FBS (Group 1e) were higher than those in the SS (Group 7e). Human PDLSCs and BFP-ADSCs were the optimum stem cell source for stem cell encapsulation by using nanohydroxyapatite-calcium carbonate microcapsule-chitosan/collagen hydrogel in serum-free conditions.

Impact of Human T Cell Lymphotropic Virus Type 1 and 2 Infection on Survival Following Stem Cell Transplantation

Human T cell lymphotropic virus types 1 and 2 (HTLV-1/2) are delta retroviruses. HTLV-1 may lead to complications, including adult T cell leukemia-lymphoma (ATLL) and HTLV-1-associated myelopathy. Immunosuppression may result in progression from an asymptomatic carrier state to ATLL. Data on the safety of stem cell transplantation (SCT) in patients with HTLV-1/2 infection are lacking. The Center for International Blood and Marrow Transplant Research database was queried for patients who tested positive for HTLV infection in the pretransplantation workup and underwent either autologous SCT (autoSCT) or allogeneic SCT (alloSCT). Patients were excluded if they underwent SCT for ATLL. The primary outcome was overall survival (OS) at 3 years and 4 years post-SCT. In those who underwent autoSCT, 54 patients were HTLV-positive and 9836 were HTLV-negative. In those who underwent alloSCT, 105 patients were HTLV-positive and 18,077 were HTLV-negative. No difference in OS was noted between the HTLV-positive and HTLV-negative patients at 3 years post-autoSCT (76% versus 77%; P=.916). Inferior OS (32% versus 46%; P=.017) and nonrelapse mortality (35% versus 27%; P=.030) were observed in HTLV-positive patients at 4 years post-alloSCT. Future work should examine the mechanism by which HTLV-1/2 impact survival in alloSCT recipients.

Impact of Human T-Cell Lymphotropic Virus Infection on Survival Following Stem Cell Transplantation

Human T-Cell Lymphotropic Virus (HTLV) Types 1 or 2 are delta retroviruses that may lead to complications including adult T-cell leukemia-lymphoma (ATLL) and HTLV-1-associated myelopathy (HAM). There is concern that immunosuppression may result in progression from an asymptomatic carrier state to ATLL or HAM. Data on the safety of stem cell transplantation (SCT) in patients with HTLV-1/2 infection are lacking. The Center for International Blood and Marrow Transplant Research (CIBMTR) was queried for all patients who tested positive for HTLV infection in the pre-transplantation workup and underwent either autologous SCT (AutoSCT) or allogeneic SCT (AlloSCT) between 2008-2017. The primary outcome was overall survival up to four years post-SCT, assessed using the Kaplan-Meier statistic. All analyses were univariate and did not adjust for differences in disease, disease stage or patients characteristics. In those who underwent AutoSCT, 54 (0.5%) patients were HTLV-positive and 9,837 were HTLV-negative. In those who underwent AlloSCT, 126 (0.7%) patients were HTLV-positive and 18,084 were HTLV-negative. In the HTLV-negative group, a larger proportion underwent AlloSCT for acute myeloid leukemia in the HTLV-negative group, while Non-Hodgkin lymphoma/other leukemia was more common in the HTLV-positive group (P<0.001). Additional patient demographics are listed in Table 1. No difference in overall survival (p=0.661) or non-relapse mortality (p=0.522) was noted following AutoSCT based on HTLV status. Following AlloSCT, univariate analysis showed the HTLV-positive patients had a statistically significant lower overall survival (Figure 1; p=0.013) and higher non-relapse mortality at year four (Figure 2; p=0.023). In conclusion, survival after AutoSCT seems unaffected by HTLV status. While the underlying indications for AlloSCT differed in HTLV-infected patients, decreased overall survival and increased non-relapse mortality were seen in HTLV-positive patients. Reasons for increased non-relapse mortality may include increased infectious complications or graft-versus-host disease. Further studies are needed to understand the relative contributions of these factors. Disclosures Janakiram: Takeda, Fate, Nektar: Research Funding. Sloan:Stemline: Consultancy; Abbvie: Consultancy.

Efficacy and safety of stem cells transplantation in patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus-a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Stem cells (SCs) therapy is a new promising therapeutic modality for type 1 diabetes (T1DM). We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate the efficacy and safety of stem cells transplantation (SCT) in patients with T1DM. We searched five literature databases (MEDLINE, EMBASE, Web of Science, WanFang and CENTRAL) up to 31 October 2019. 29 studies (487 patients with T1DM) were included in our meta-analysis. There was no substantial publication bias. Meta-analysis showed the SCT had significant effect to decrease HbA1c (SMD, 1.40; 95% CI, 0.93 to 1.86; p < 0.00001; I2 = 89%) and to improve C-peptide levels (SMD, -0.62; 95% CI, -1.22 to -0.02; p = 0.04; I2 = 92%) at 1 year follow-up. Subgroup analyses showed the heterogeneity level of the results was high. Significant improvement of metabolic outcomes was observed in the subgroups of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) combined with hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) and HSCs. The older age showed significant association with the efficacy in HSCs subgroup. The higher GADA positive rate before treatment also significantly associated with the decrease of daily insulin requirement. The transient insulin independence rate at last follow-up was 9.6 per 100 person-years (95% CI: 5.8-13.5%). The mean length of insulin independence was 15.6 months (95% CI: 12.3-18.9). The mortality of SCT was 3.4% (95% CI: 2.1-5.5%). Therefore, SCT is an efficacious and safe method for treating patients with T1DM especially in the subgroups of MSCs + HSCs and HSCs. Well designed, double blind and randomized controlled trails with large sample size and long-term follow-up are needed for further evaluation.

Stem cell transplantation for ischemic stroke.

Stroke is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, with very large healthcare and social costs, and a strong demand for alternative therapeutic approaches. Preclinical studies have shown that stem cells transplanted into the brain can lead to functional improvement. However, to date, evidence for the benefits of stem cell transplantation in people with ischemic stroke is lacking. This is the first update of the Cochrane review published in 2010. To assess the efficacy and safety of stem cell transplantation compared with control in people with ischemic stroke. We searched the Cochrane Stroke Group Trials Register (last searched August 2018), CENTRAL (last searched August 2018), MEDLINE (1966 to August 2018), Embase (1980 to August 2018), and BIOSIS (1926 to August 2018). We handsearched potentially relevant conference proceedings, screened reference lists, and searched ongoing trials and research registers (last searched August 2018). We also contacted individuals active in the field and stem cell manufacturers (last contacted August 2018). We included randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that recruited people with ischemic stroke, in any phase of the disease (acute, subacute or chronic), and an ischemic lesion confirmed by computerized tomography or magnetic resonance imaging scan. We included all types of stem cell transplantation, regardless of cell source (autograft, allograft, or xenograft; embryonic, fetal, or adult; from brain or other tissues), route of cell administration (systemic or local), and dosage. The primary outcome was efficacy (assessed as neurologic impairment or functional outcome) at longer term follow-up (minimum six months). Secondary outcomes included post-procedure safety outcomes (death, worsening of neurological deficit, infections, and neoplastic transformation). Two review authors independently applied the inclusion criteria, assessed trial quality and risk of bias, and extracted data. If needed, we contacted study authors for additional information. We performed random effects meta-analyses when two or more RCTs were available for any outcome. We assessed the certainty of the evidence by using the GRADE approach. In this updated review, we included seven completed RCTs with 401 participants. All tested adult human non-neural stem cells; cells were transplanted during the acute, subacute, or chronic phase of ischemic stroke; administered intravenously, intra-arterially, intracerebrally, or into the lumbar subarachnoid space. Follow-up ranged from six months to seven years. Efficacy outcomes were measured with the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS), modified Rankin Scale (mRS), or Barthel Index (BI). Safety outcomes included case fatality, and were measured at the end of the trial.Overall, stem cell transplantation was associated with a better clinical outcome when measured with the NIHSS (mean difference [MD] -1.49, 95% confidence interval [CI] -2.65 to -0.33; five studies, 319 participants; low-certainty evidence), but not with the mRS (MD -0.42, 95% CI -0.86 to 0.02; six studies, 371 participants; very low-certainty evidence), or the BI (MD 14.09, 95% CI -1.94 to 30.13; three studies, 170 participants; very low-certainty evidence). The studies in favor of stem cell transplantation had, on average, a higher risk of bias, and a sample size of 32 or fewer participants.No significant safety concerns associated with stem cell transplantation were raised with respect to death (risk ratio [RR] 0.66, 95% CI 0.39 to 1.14; six studies, participants; low-certainty evidence).We were not able to perform the sensitivity analysis according to the quality of studies, because all of them were at high risk of bias. Overall, in participants with ischemic stroke, stem cell transplantation was associated with a reduced neurological impairment, but not with a better functional outcome. No obvious safety concerns were raised. However, these conclusions came mostly from small RCTs with high risk of bias, and the certainty of the evidence ranged from low to very low. More well-designed trials are needed.

Targeted and Selective Treatment of Pluripotent Stem Cell-derived Teratomas Using External Beam Radiation in a Small-animal Model.

The growing number of victims of "stem cell tourism," the unregulated transplantation of stem cells worldwide, has raised concerns about the safety of stem cell transplantation. Although the transplantation of differentiated rather than undifferentiated cells is common practice, teratomas can still arise from the presence of residual undifferentiated stem cells at the time of transplant or from spontaneous mutations in differentiated cells. Because stem cell therapies are often delivered into anatomically sensitive sites, even small tumors can be clinically devastating, resulting in blindness, paralysis, cognitive abnormalities, and cardiovascular dysfunction. Surgical access to these sites may also be limited, leaving patients with few therapeutic options. Controlling stem cell misbehavior is, therefore, critical for the clinical translation of stem cell therapy. External beam radiation offers an effective means of delivering targeted therapy to decrease the teratoma burden while minimizing injury to surrounding organs. Additionally, this method avoids genetic manipulation or viral transduction of stem cells-which are associated with additional clinical safety and efficacy concerns. Here, we describe a protocol to create pluripotent stem cell-derived teratomas in mice and to apply external beam radiation therapy to selectively ablate these tumors in vivo.

Olig2-expressing Mesenchymal Stem Cells Enhance Functional Recovery after Contusive Spinal Cord Injury.

Background and ObjectivesGlial scarring and inflammation after spinal cord injury (SCI) interfere with neural regeneration and functional recovery due to the inhibitory microenvironment of the injured spinal cord. Stem cell transplantation can improve functional recovery in experimental models of SCI, but many obstacles to clinical application remain due to concerns regarding the effectiveness and safety of stem cell transplantation for SCI patients. In this study, we investigated the effects of transplantation of human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) that were genetically modified to express Olig2 in a rat model of SCI.MethodsBone marrow-derived hMSCs were genetically modified to express Olig2 and transplanted one week after the induction of contusive SCI in a rat model. Spinal cords were harvested 7 weeks after transplantation.ResultsTransplantation of Olig2-expressing hMSCs significantly improved functional recovery in a rat model of contusive SCI model compared to the control hMSC-transplanted group. Transplantation of Olig2-expressing hMSCs also attenuated glial scar formation in spinal cord lesions. Immunohistochemical analysis showed that transplanted Olig2-expressing hMSCs were partially differentiated into Olig1-positive oligodendrocyte-like cells in spinal cords. Furthermore, NF-M-positive axons were more abundant in the Olig2-expressing hMSC-transplanted group than in the control hMSC-transplanted group.ConclusionsWe suggest that Olig2-expressing hMSCs are a safe and optimal cell source for treating SCI.

Intraspinal Transplantation of the Adipose Tissue-Derived Regenerative Cells in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis in Accordance with the Current Experts' Recommendations: Choosing Optimal Monitoring Tools.

Stem cells (SCs) may constitute a perspective alternative to pharmacological treatment in neurodegenerative diseases. Although the safety of SC transplantation has been widely shown, their clinical efficiency in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is still to be proved. It is not only due to a limited number of studies, small treatment groups, and fast but nonlinear disease progression but also due to lack of objective methods able to show subtle clinical changes. Preliminary guidelines for cell therapy have recently been proposed by a group of ALS experts. They combine clinical, neurophysiological, and functional assessment together with monitoring of the cytokine level. Here, we describe a pilot study on transplantation of autologous adipose-derived regenerative cells (ADRC) into the spinal cord of the patients with ALS and monitoring of the results in accordance with the current recommendations. To show early and/or subtle changes within the muscles of interest, a wide range of clinical and functional tests were used and compared in order to choose the most sensitive and optimal set. Additionally, an analysis of transplanted ADRC was provided to develop standards ensuring the derivation and verification of adequate quality of transplanted cells and to correlate ADRC properties with clinical outcome.

647 - Improving the Accuracy of Hematopoietic STEM CELL DATA

Background: Almost 175 Hematopoietic stem cell transplants are done at our centre each year in a team comprising of 5 physicians. Maintaining the data manually of all these patients, year by year, accurately is a herculean task. Consolidation of this data with the help of prescription records from out patient's cards, phone calls & e-mail is done on a regular basis. We also introduced a Transplant Meeting every fortnightly helping us collect follow-up information more accurately. Methods: Outpatient prescriptions of transplant patients were scanned and data entered into our database on a regular basis. Communications to patients were done regularly by phone calls, email and social media like facebook & whatsapp for their current status. We started a transplant meeting every 2 weeks to improve the accuracy of our database. All consultants, transplant nurses, data manager and coordinators were part of this meeting. Patients were divided in two groups: 1st—patient's upto day +100 and 2nd beyond day +100. All events including CMV reactivation, GvHD, relapse & death were discussed. Reminders were sent for timing of post transplant vaccination. Results: With the practice of regular transplant meetings the data was streamlined. Scanning out patient's prescriptions also helped to follow important pending laboratory reports, informing assigned physicians for early intervention and management if required helped to improve patient care. Conclusion: Regular follow-up post transplant is essential in order to ensure efficacy and safety of stem cell transplant including quality of life. Various modalities are imperative for accurate and updated follow-up data entry.

Molecular imaging in stem cell-based therapies of cardiac diseases.

In the past 15years, despite that regenerative medicine has shown great potential for cardiovascular diseases, the outcome and safety of stem cell transplantation has shown controversial results in the published literature. Medical imaging might be useful for monitoring and quantifying transplanted cells within the heart and to serially characterize the effects of stem cell therapy of the myocardium. From the multiple available noninvasive imaging techniques, magnetic resonance imaging and nuclear imaging by positron (PET) or single photon emission computer tomography (SPECT) are the most used clinical approaches to follow the fate of transplanted stem cells in vivo. In this article, we provide a review on the role of different noninvasive imaging modalities and discuss their advantages and disadvantages. We focus on the different in-vivo labeling and reporter gene imaging strategies for stem cell tracking as well as the concept and reliability to use imaging parameters as noninvasive surrogate endpoints for the evaluation of the post-therapeutic outcome.

Stem cell transplantation for spinal cord injury: a meta-analysis of treatment effectiveness and safety.

OBJECTIVE:The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of stem cell transplantation for spinal cord injury (SCI).DATA SOURCES:PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, China Science and Technology Journal, Wanfang, and SinoMed databases were systematically searched by computer to select clinical randomized controlled trials using stem cell transplantation to treat SCI, published between each database initiation and July 2016.DATA SELECTION:Randomized controlled trials comparing stem cell transplantation with rehabilitation treatment for patients with SCI. Inclusion criteria: (1) Patients with SCI diagnosed according to the American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) International standards for neurological classification of SCI; (2) patients with SCI who received only stem cell transplantation therapy or stem cell transplantation combined with rehabilitation therapy; (3) one or more of the following outcomes reported: outcomes concerning neurological function including sensory function and locomotor function, activities of daily living, urination functions, and severity of SCI or adverse effects. Studies comprising patients with complications, without full-text, and preclinical animal models were excluded. Quality of the included studies was evaluated using the Cochrane risk of bias assessment tool and RevMan V5.3 software, provided by the Cochrane Collaboration, was used to perform statistical analysis.OUTCOME MEASURES:ASIA motor score, ASIA light touch score, ASIA pinprick score, ASIA impairment scale grading improvement rate, activities of daily living score, residual urine volume, and adverse events.RESULTS:Ten studies comprising 377 patients were included in the analysis and the overall risk of bias was relatively low level. Four studies did not detail how random sequences were generated, two studies did not clearly state the blinding outcome assessment, two studies lacked blinding outcome assessment, one study lacked follow-up information, and four studies carried out selective reporting. Compared with rehabilitation therapy, stem cell transplantation significantly increased the lower limb light touch score (odds ratio (OR) = 3.43, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.01 – 6.86, P = 0.05), lower limb pinprick score (OR = 3.93, 95%CI: 0.74 – 7.12, P = 0.02), ASI grading rate (relative risk (RR) = 2.95, 95%CI: 1.64 – 5.29, P = 0.0003), and notably reduced residual urine volume (OR = –8.10, 95%CI: –15.09 to –1.10, P = 0.02). However, stem cell transplantation did not significantly improve motor score (OR = 1.89, 95%CI: –0.25 to 4.03, P = 0.08) or activities of daily living score (OR = 1.12, 95%CI: –1.17 to 4.04, P = 0.45). Furthermore, stem cell transplantation caused a high rate of mild adverse effects (RR = 14.49, 95%CI: 5.34 – 34.08, P < 0.00001); however, these were alleviated in a short time.CONCLUSION:Stem cell transplantation was determined to be an efficient and safe treatment for SCI and simultaneously improved sensory and bladder functions. Although associated minor and temporary adverse effects were observed with transplanted stem cells, spinal cord repair and axon remyelination were apparent. More randomized controlled trials with larger sample sizes and longer follow-up times are needed to further validate the effectiveness of stem cell transplantation in the treatment of SCI.

Fifteen years of bone marrow mononuclear cell therapy in acute myocardial infarction.

In spite of modern treatment, acute myocardial infarction (AMI) still carries significant morbidity and mortality worldwide. Even though standard of care therapy improves symptoms and also long-term prognosis of patients with AMI, it does not solve the critical issue, specifically the permanent damage of cardiomyocytes. As a result, a complex process occurs, namely cardiac remodeling, which leads to alterations in cardiac size, shape and function. This is what has driven the quest for unconventional therapeutic strategies aiming to regenerate the injured cardiac and vascular tissue. One of the latest breakthroughs in this regard is stem cell (SC) therapy. Based on favorable data obtained in experimental studies, therapeutic effectiveness of this innovative therapy has been investigated in clinical settings. Of various cell types used in the clinic, autologous bone marrow derived SCs were the first used to treat an AMI patient, 15 years ago. Since then, we have witnessed an increasing body of data as regards this cutting-edge therapy. Although feasibility and safety of SC transplant have been clearly proved, it’s efficacy is still under dispute. Conducted studies and meta-analysis reported conflicting results, but there is hope for conclusive answer to be provided by the largest ongoing trial designed to demonstrate whether this treatment saves lives. In the meantime, strategies to enhance the SCs regenerative potential have been applied and/or suggested, position papers and recommendations have been published. But what have we learned so far and how can we properly use the knowledge gained? This review will analytically discuss each of the above topics, summarizing the current state of knowledge in the field.

Intraspinal stem cell transplantation for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: Ready for efficacy clinical trials?

Intraspinal stem cell (SC) transplantation represents a new therapeutic approach for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) clinical trials. There are considerable difficulties in designing future efficacy trials, some related to the field of ALS and some that are specific to SCs or the mode of delivery. In October 2015, the most controversial points on SC transplantation were addressed during an international workshop intended to bring together international SC and ALS researchers in a public discussion on a topic for which expertise is limited. During the meeting, a discussion was started on the basic structure of the ideal clinical trial testing the efficacy and safety of SC transplantation. The current document includes a number of consensus points reflecting the design of phase II/III clinical trials.

STEM CELL TRANSPLANTATION AS A POSSIBLE STRATEGY FOR TREATING STANDARD THERAPY-RESISTANT ANKYLOSING SPONDYLITIS

The authors have analyzed the literature dealing with studies of the efficiency and safety of stem cell transplantation (SCT) in patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) through the electronic resources Pubmed and Medline by using the keywords «bone marrow transplantation», «hematopoietic stem cell transplantation», «ankylosing spondylitis», «autoimmune diseases», and «sacroiliac joint biopsy». The paper describes four cases of SCT in AS patients, including transplantation that was carried out in one patient with lymphoma concurrent with AS, in two AS patients without blood cancers, and in one patient with AS concurrent with myeloid leukemia. Drug-free remission was achieved in 3 cases: lymphoma concurrent with AS (n=1), AS concurrent with myeloid leukemia (n=1), and AS without comorbidities (n=1). In addition to an improvement in the course of AS, there were also two cases with clinical presentations of AS after SCT. The given cases show that SCT can be basically used to induce drug-free remission in patients with severe forms of standard therapy-resistant AS. However, the introduction of SCT in clinical practice needs to adjust the technique to the specific features of AS patients.

Neural stem cell transplantation in experimental contusive model of spinal cord injury.

Spinal cord injury is a devastating clinical condition, characterized by a complex of neurological dysfunctions. Animal models of spinal cord injury can be used both to investigate the biological responses to injury and to test potential therapies. Contusion or compression injury delivered to the surgically exposed spinal cord are the most widely used models of the pathology. In this report the experimental contusion is performed by using the Infinite Horizon (IH) Impactor device, which allows the creation of a reproducible injury animal model through definition of specific injury parameters. Stem cell transplantation is commonly considered a potentially useful strategy for curing this debilitating condition. Numerous studies have evaluated the effects of transplanting a variety of stem cells. Here we demonstrate an adapted method for spinal cord injury followed by tail vein injection of cells in CD1 mice. In short, we provide procedures for: i) cell labeling with a vital tracer, ii) pre-operative care of mice, iii) execution of a contusive spinal cord injury, and iv) intravenous administration of post mortem neural precursors. This contusion model can be utilized to evaluate the efficacy and safety of stem cell transplantation in a regenerative medicine approach.

Stem Cell Transplantation in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Patients: Methodological Approach, Safety, and Feasibility

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is characterized by the selective death of motor neurons. Stem cells have been proposed as a potential therapeutic strategy. The safety of stem cell transplantation into the frontal motor cortex to improve upper motor neuron function is described. Sixty-seven patients with definite amyotrophic lateral sclerosis were included. After giving their informed consent, the patients underwent magnetic resonance imaging, functional rating, pulmonary function test, and laboratory tests. Their bone marrow was stimulated with daily filgrastim (300 µg) given subcutaneously for 3 days. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells were obtained by leukapheresis. Isolated CD133(+) stem cells were suspended in 300 µl of the patient's cerebrospinal fluid and implanted into the motor cortex. Adverse events were recorded at each step of the procedure and were classified according to the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events v3.0. The survival at 1 year was 90% after transplantation. with a mean long-term survival rate of 40.17 months from diagnosis. The most common adverse events were in grades I-II and involved transient skin pain (19.5% of patients) attributed to the insertion of the Mahurkar catheter into the subclavian vein, minor scalp pain (15.9%), and headache (12.2%) from the surgical procedure. Several patients (1.5 - 4.5%) reported diverse grade I adverse events. There were two deaths, one considered to be associated with the procedure (1.5%) and the other associated with the disease. Autologous stem cell transplantation into the frontal motor cortex is safe and tolerated well by patients. Further controlled studies are required to define the efficacy of this procedure.

Systematic evaluation of therapeutic effect and safety of stem cell transplantation for dilated cardiomyopathy

Objective To systematically assess the efficacy and safety of stem cell transplantation in the treatment of idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy.Methods China Biomedical Literature Database on disc,CNKI,VIP,Wanfang Data,Cochrane Controlled Trails Register,OVID Medline and EMBASE were searched.Two researchers independently extracted information,which was then cross-checked by each other.The primary parameters of therapeutic effects were mortality and heart failure questionnaire,the secondary parameters of therapeutic effects were left ventricular ejection fraction(LVEF),left ventricular end-diastolic diameter(LVED) and 6-minute walking distance,and the parameter of safety was prevalence of adverse events.Meta-analysis was performed with RevMan 5.0.2 software.Results Seven randomized clinical trials(RCT) were enrolled,and 263 patients were included.Meat-analysis revealed that there was no significant difference in 3-year mortality between stem cell transplantation combined with standard therapy and single standard drug therapy,stem cell transplantation combined with standard therapy did not performed better than single standard drug therapy in improving LVEF 3 months after operation,and there was no stem cell transplantation-related adverse events.Conclusion The therapeutic effect of stem cell transplantation combined with standard therapy is no better than single standard drug therapy.However,due to the small scale and low quality of included RCT,more studies in large scale and high quality are needed to verify the results.

Stem Cell Transplantation for Ischemic Stroke

Studies in animal models of ischemic stroke have shown that stem cells transplanted into the brain can lead to functional improvement. However, to date, evidence for the benefits of stem cell transplantation in patients with ischemic stroke is lacking. Our objective was to assess the efficacy and safety of stem cell transplantation compared with conventional treatments in patients with ischemic stroke. We searched the Cochrane Stroke Group Trials Register (last searched February 2010), the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL; The …

Stem Cell Transplantation for Ischemic Stroke

Studies in animal models of ischemic stroke have shown that stem cells transplanted into the brain can lead to functional improvement. However, to date, evidence for the benefits of stem cell transplantation in patients with ischemic stroke is lacking. Our objective was to assess the efficacy and safety of stem cell transplantation compared with conventional treatments in patients with ischemic stroke. We searched the Cochrane Stroke Group Trials Register (last searched February 2010), the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL; The …