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MSCs Are Shown to Improve Liver Function in Cirrhosis Patients

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) show promise as a safe and effective therapeutic agent in the treatment of liver cirrhosis.

ABSTRACT

Transplantation of autologous mesenchymal stem cells for end-stage liver cirrhosis: a meta-analysis based on seven controlled trials.

Gastroenterol Res Pract. 2015;2015:908275. doi: 10.1155/2015/908275. Epub 2015 Mar 15.

Ma XR1, Tang YL1, Xuan M2, Chang Z1, Wang XY2, Liang XH2.

Author information

  1. State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, No. 14, 3rd Section, Renmin South Road, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, China.
  2. State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, No. 14, 3rd Section, Renmin South Road, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, China ; Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, No. 14, 3rd Section, Renmin South Road, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, China.

Background

The bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BM-MSCs) have demonstrated great potential as regenerative medicine in different therapeutic applications. This study aims to pool previous controlled clinical trials to make an update assessment of the effectiveness of BM-MSC transplantation on end-stage liver cirrhosis.

Methods

Relevant studies published between January 1990 and June 2014 were searched among Pubmed, Embase, and ClinicalTrial.gov. A meta-analysis was performed to assess the effect of BM-MSCs on liver function indicators, including Models of End-Stage Liver Disease (MELD) score, serum albumin (g/L), total bilirubin (mg/dl), Prothrombin concentration (%), and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) (U/L).

Results

BM-MSCs therapy could significantly improve liver function in patients with end-stage liver cirrhosis, in terms of MELD score, serum albumin, total bilirubin, and prothrombin concentration, at least during the half year after transplantation.

Conclusion

Due to BM-MSCs’ immunomodulatory functions and the potential to differentiate into hepatocytes, they are a promising therapeutic agent to liver cirrhosis. Considering currently available evidence, this therapy is relatively safe and effective in improving liver function. However, how different variables should be controlled to optimize the therapeutic effect is still not clear. Thus, future mechanism studies and clinical trials are required for this optimization.

PMID: 25861263 PMCID: PMC4377544 DOI: 10.1155/2015/908275