DURHAM, N.C., Feb. 23, 2016 /PRNewswire-iReach/ -- A recent study appearing in STEM CELLS Translational Medicine(SCTM) indicates that a certain type of blood-producing stem cell called CD133+ might prove useful in treating patients in the final stages of liver disease. Currently the only treatment option for these patients is a liver transplant.
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The study was conducted by a team of doctors in Iran co-led by Hossein Baharvand, Ph.D., of the Department of Regenerative Medicine at the Royan Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Technology, Tehran.
Previous studies by other researchers showed that stem cells offered potential for treating cirrhosis, but exactly which cells are the best option remains unknown. The previous studies also did not follow the patients for any length of time. To address these questions, the Baharvand team had conducted a phase 1 study (a precursor to the one currently published in SCTM) in which they divided six patients in late stages of liver disease into two groups and then treated each group with a different type of stem cell that they felt were possible therapeutic candidates. One patient group received mononuclear cells (MNCs), which are a mixed population of single nucleus cells including monocytes, lymphocytes, and hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells. The second group received CD133+ stem cells, which are more specific than MNCs in that they are a type of hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) that gives rise to blood cells only.
The results of that study showed that, 24 months after receiving the stem cells, no major cirrhosis-related complications had occurred in either patient group. However, this study was a non-randomized patient trial. In the new SCTM-reported study, Baharvand’s team wanted to learn how the two different types of stem cells might compare under the stricter test conditions of a randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial. “This eliminated the likelihood of chance as a source for the difference of the end outcome,” Dr. Baharvand explained.
This time, 27 patients (median age of 48) were divided into three test groups and given cell infusions on day one and then again three months later. The first group received an infusion of CD133+ cells, taken from each patient’s own bone marrow; the second group received a single infusion of MNCs, also collected from the patient’s bone marrow; and the third group received a placebo as a control. The patients were followed up at three-month and six-month intervals after the second infusion.
During the three-month follow-up the CD133+ patients showed an improvement in their liver function, but by six months that improvement had declined. There was no improvement in either the MNC or placebo groups at any time after the infusions, which supported the findings of studies conducted by other research teams. However, the CD133+ results did spark the Baharvand team’s interest.
“There were several limitations of this current trial, including the small number of patients involved and the different etiologies for cirrhosis and baseline patient heterogeneity,” Dr. Baharvand said. “This could have resulted in an underestimation of the beneficial effects of CD133+ cell therapy in end stage liver disease patients, so we believe that further studies with higher numbers of patients are warranted to better clarify the effects.”
“A cell therapy approach to treating liver cirrhosis is desperately needed because of the shortage of donor organs,” said Anthony Atala, M.D., editor of STEM CELLS Translational Medicine and direction of the Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine. “This research team has identified a cell population that shows promise in clinical studies and we look forward to seeing future results.”
The full article, “Intraportal infusion of bone marrow mononuclear or CD133+ cells in patients with decompensated cirrhosis: A double-blind randomized controlled trial,” can be accessed at http://stemcellstm.alphamedpress.org/content/5/1/87.full.
About STEM CELLS Translational Medicine: STEM CELLS Translational Medicine (SCTM), published by AlphaMed Press, is a monthly peer-reviewed publication dedicated to significantly advancing the clinical utilization of stem cell molecular and cellular biology. By bridging stem cell research and clinical trials, SCTM will help move applications of these critical investigations closer to accepted best practices.
About AlphaMed Press: Established in 1983, AlphaMed Press with offices in Durham, NC, San Francisco, CA, and Belfast, Northern Ireland, publishes two other internationally renowned peer-reviewed journals: STEM CELLS® (www.StemCells.com), celebrating its 33th year, is the world’s first journal devoted to this fast paced field of research. The Oncologist® (www.TheOncologist.com), also a monthly peer-reviewed publication, entering its 20th year, is devoted to community and hospital-based oncologists and physicians entrusted with cancer patient care. All three journals are premier periodicals with globally recognized editorial boards dedicated to advancing knowledge and education in their focused disciplines.
Media Contact:Sharon Lee, AlphaMed Press, 9196800011, sharonlee@alphamedpress.com
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SOURCE STEM CELLS Translational Medicine
