Cord Tissue Mesenchymal Stem Cells in Humans Shows Positive Results

The first reported human clinical application of umbilical cord tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells(MSCs) was recently published in Transplantation.(1) The study found that the use of cord tissue MSCs was feasible, safe and effective in treating patients with graft versus host disease (GvHD), which is a serious and potentially fatal complication of stem cell transplantation.

Because of their prospective impact on immune suppression, injury recovery and tissue engineering, MSCs are of increasing interest to researchers across a broad spectrum of regenerative medicine applications including autism, bone injury, cardiomyopathy, diabetes, HIV, liver failure, multiple sclerosis, spinal cord injury and stroke.(2)

Overcoming Graft v. Host Disease

In the study recently published in Transplantation (1), the investigators first compared the form and structure, surface markers, and behavior of cord tissue MSCs to those found in bone marrow.  They found thatMSCs obtained from cord tissue had similar appearance, superior proliferative potential and more immunosuppressive effects compared to bone marrow MSCs. Because of these unique properties and the relative ease of collection, isolation and culture, the investigators infused cord tissue MSCs expanded in the lab, into two patients with severe steroid-resistant acute GvHD.  There were no side-effects or severe infections noted in either patient during the treatment period showing the MSCs were safe.  The GvHD also improved dramatically in both patients following each infusion indicating the treatment was successful.

This study could pave the way for future studies of cord tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells to better understand how to maximize treatment for this serious transplant complication.  However, GvHD may only be scratching the surface of the possible future applications for cord tissue MSCs.

Considering that collecting cord tissue from newborns is easy, safe and noninvasive compared to harvesting from bone marrow, the authors of this study concluded that these cells appear to be the ideal candidates for cell-based therapies.  The authors of the study also indicated that cord tissue may be an alternative MSC source for clinical applications, just as cord blood itself has become a good source of hematopoietic stem cells for transplantation.(1) By collecting and saving cord tissue from newborns, families will have access to a rich source of MSCs which hold great promise for stem cell therapies in the future.

• Graft versus host disease (GvHD) is a frequent immune incompatibility reaction of stem cell transplantation with often serious to fatal complications.  GvHD occurs when donor cells recognize the recipient as foreign, and attack his or her organs and other tissues.  GvHD is usually treated with steroids, but some patients may develop steroid resistance and require complicated treatment regimens.

• Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are found in bone marrow, cord blood and inparticularly high concentrations in cord tissue.(3) They give rise to the cells of bone, fat, cartilage and other connective tissues.  Cord tissue MSCs are being studied in more than 25 clinical trials to date according to the National Institutes of Health web site clinicaltrials.gov.

References:
1. Wu KH, Chan CK, Tsai C, et al. Effective treatment of severe steroid-resistant acute graft-versus-host disease with umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cells.   Transplantation. 2011;91(12):1412-6.
2. U.S. National Institutes of Health.  Clinicaltrials.gov. Umbilical Cord Mesenchymal stem cells.  Accessed September15, 2011.
3. Secco M, Zucconi E, Vieira NM, et al. Multipotent stem cells from umbilical cord: Cord is richer than blood! Stem Cells 2008; 26: 146.
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