Regenerative Medicine for Pain Management

Potentially of greater therapeutic significance are the reported neuroprotective paracrine effects of Mesenchymal Stem Cells (MSCs), with the introduction of MSC-secreted factors able to stimulate proliferation, neuronal differentiation, and survival in endogenous neurogenic niches for Alzheimer’s Disease. (Source: Teixeira FG, et al; Stem Cell Rev Rep. 2015;11:288–97.)

One of the important property of MSCs is the ability to rescue apoptotic cells induced by
traumatic exposures to hypoxia, chemicals/acidity, mechanical damage and radiation. For example, MSCs have proved to reverse apoptosis in cardiomyoblasts after ischemia, as well as
damaged neurons and lung fibroblasts. (Source: Cselenya´k et al; BMC Cell Biol 2010; 11: 29.)

Based on their ability to modulate immune responses, MSCs are the best stem cells as a treatment for autoimmune diseases. Patients suffering from severe autoimmune diseases do not respond to standard therapy and can be treated with autologous or allogenic MSC therapy. The clinical significance of MSCs mainly contribute to its potent immunosuppressive and anti-inflammatory effects through the interactions between the lymphocytes associated with both the innate and adaptive immune systems. MSCs suppress activities such as T-cell proliferation, B-cell functions, natural killer cell proliferation, and cytokine production and prevent the differentiation, maturation, and activation of dendritic cells. (Biointegration of Medical Implant Materials (Second Edition), Woodhead Publishing Series in Biomaterials 2020)

Crohn’s disease is an inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). It causes inflammation of your digestive tract, which can lead to a variety of symptoms. Twelve patients with Fistulising Crohn’s disease were treated with intra fistular injection of MSC stem cell and achieved sustained complete closure of fistula tracks in seven cases and partial closure in three cases. Rectal mucosa healing was observed in all patients, as well as a significant increase in circulating Treg cells. (Source: Ciccocioppo R, et al. Gut 2011; 60:788–798.)

Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease mediated by the production of autoantibody directed against the b cells of the pancreas. Studies on umbilical cord blood (UCB)e derived MSCs that demonstrated the expression of pancreatic development genes in these cells. Recently, a population of UCB-derived cells was shown to behave like hES cells, recapitulating the same differentiation steps from early stages to b-cells (Inverardi et al., 2003; Prabakar et al., 2011). Meanwhile we have seen most of type 2 diabetes patients’ HA1C have drop down below 6.0 under our comprehensive care.

Heart failure is a condition in which the heart can’t pump enough blood throughout the body. In an heart failure clinical study, the lowest dose of stem cells (25 million) resulted in the greatest improvement in LV ejection fraction and LV systolic volume, whereas no significant effect was achieved by 75 or 150 million stem cell doses at 3, 6 or 12 months.
(Source: Perin EC, et al 2011 Scientific Sessions of the American Heart Association. 14, November 2011; Orlando, FL, 2011.)

Majority of our patients, who are suffering from Stage 5 or 4 or 3 kidney disease, have seen improvement of their kidney function, ie. eGFR improved and reduced blood BUN and Creatinine at weMED Health Center. A recent systematic review of over 70 articles highlighted MSCs as one of the most effective cell populations for treating experimental chronic kidney disease. (Papazova D.A., et al, Dis. Model. Mech. 2015;8:281–293.

MSC Stem Cell transplantation has been shown to produce significant clinical improvements with cartilage repair. The transplanted MSCs can be differentiated into chondrocytes, or it is also possible that MSCs produce soluble growth factors to induce other cells of the microenvironment to differentiate into cartilage. Most of weMED Health Patients whose before and after x-rays have showed regrowth of cartilage and significant relief of symptoms. See more of our patients before and after X-rays…

Quite a few clinical research demonstrated the effectiveness and safety of stem cell treating liver diseases. In a clinical trial, Zhang et al. administered a dosage of 0.5106/kg body weight HUC-MSCs in 30 patients with decompensated liver cirrhosis. The cells were infused intravenously three times at 4-week intervals. After 40-week follow-up, there was a significant reduction in the volume of ascites and improvement in liver function in all of the HUC-MSCs treated patients. No adverse effects were reported in any patient during the follow-up. (Source: Zhang Z, et al. Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology 2012;27(Suppl 2):112-20)

The most recent evidence in favor of MSC-based treatment of SLE involves 15 refractory-stage SLE patients. Significant improvements were seen in systemic lupus erythematosus disease activity index (SLEDAI) scores, and proteinuria and stabilization of renal function after 12 months. (Source: Sun L, et al. Stem Cells 2009; 27: 1421–1432.)

Also known as Lyme borreliosis, is an infectious disease caused by the Borrelia bacterium which is spread by ticks.

MSCs have pronounced immune-modulating and immunosuppressive properties so as they were being tested in clinical trial for relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis. MSCs promote self-repair by reducing scar formation, by stimulating the formation of new blood vessel, and by secreting growth and neuroprotective factors, such as superoxide dismutase-3. After intravenous injection, many cells entered the CNS and became widely distributed both in experimental models and in patients (Prockop and Youn Oh, 2012; Uccelli et al., 2007)

Regardless the causes of neuropathy, such as by diabetes, chemotherapy-induced or age-related, weMED comprehensive treatment, which addressing the nerve damage and causes, has provided significant improvement for patients’ feet and hands, as well as balance.

Stem cell therapy, with the aim of replacing lost neurons, is the most promising strategy for this disease. It has been demonstrated that MSCs cells can enhance the levels of tyrosine hydroxylase and dopamine after transplantation in PD (parkinson’s disease). Furthermore, it has been suggested that these cells contribute to neuro-protection by secreting trophic factors, such as EGF, VEGF, NT3, FGF-2, HGF, and BDNF, or through antiapoptotic signaling without differentiation in neuronal pheno-type. (Wang et al., 2010; Wilkins et al., 2009;Moloney et al., 2010

weMED has seen great success in treating RA patients, clinical study from Zheng et al. demonstrated that MSCs isolated from RA patients exerted immunosuppressive functions, by inhibiting T-cell proliferation, blocking the secretion of several proinflammatory cytokines, and allowing the expression of antiinflammatory IL-10. (Zheng et al., 2008; Augello et al., 2007; Maoet al., 2010).

Damage to the spinal cord that may cause temporary or permanent changes to its function. Four patients (80%) receiving stem cells improved from Grade A to Grade C, and one patient improved from Grade A to Grade B. The GCSF-only patient remained at Grade A. The only side effects observed were fever and myalgia. (Source: Park H, et al. Tissue Engineering 2005; 11: 913–922.)