The Safety of Stem Cell Treatments for Autoimmune Disease
Improvements in the protocols for treating patients with autoimmune diseases using stem cell treatments have involved carefully controlled tapering of corticosteroids, better prophylaxis against viral infection, and recognition of systemic disease prior to treatment. In one study of those with juvenile idiopathic arthritis this effectively reduced the treatment related mortality to zero (Brinkma, et al, 2007). A review by van Laar (2006) estimated that over 700 patients with severe autoimmune disease were treated with autologous haematopoietic stem cell transplants between 1996-2006 with remission occurring in around a third of these patients. Disorders most commonly treated included systemic sclerosis (scleroderma), multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, juvenile idiopathic arthritis and systemic lupus erythematosus. van Laar observed that treatment-related mortality fell from around 7% in the mid-1990s to much lower levels in recent years, with no fatalities detailed for those patients treated for systemic sclerosis or multiple sclerosis between 2003-2006. The reason for this lower mortality rate appears to be more refined patient selection procedure which means that less patients were able to receive stem cell treatment than would have liked.
Cord Blood Stem Cells for AI Disease
A study by Bhattacharya (et al, 2001) investigated the use of umbilical cord blood stem cells for those with a variety of conditions, including autoimmune diseases. All 62 of the patients appeared to tolerate the treatment during the trial which aimed at assessing safety rather than determining efficacy of treatment. Patients with rheumatoid arthritis, and systemic lupus erythematosus took part in the clinical trial along with others who suffered from conditions such as ankylosing spondylitis. The researchers considered the umbilical cord blood stem cells as less likely to induce an immune system reaction than adult whole blood transfusions and it appears that this was the case in this particular trial. However, concerns have been raised over the assumption of such stem cells, along with human embryonic stem cells, as being immunologically inert, particularly in inflammatory conditions such as juvenile idiopathic arthritis, and rheumatoid arthritis.
Autologous Stem Cells Unsuitable for AI Disease Treatment
A further concern for those researching stem cell treatments for autoimmune diseases is the use of stem cells taken from the patients themselves as these could potentially then manifest the same faulty immune response after implantation. This raises questions over the origin of autoimmune disease and whether such conditions are triggered by environmental factors, such as stress, toxins, viral infection, or trauma, or are associated with a predisposition towards immune dysfunction in patients themselves. Stem cell researchers are also looking, in the laboratory, at the behaviour of stem cells donated by those with autoimmune conditions. This may help develop a clearer picture of the causes and progression of disease such as rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, type 1 diabetes, and multiple sclerosis and is also likely to be helpful in the development of new drug treatments for such diseases.
Read More –> Are Stem Cells Immunosuppressive or Immunostimulatory?
