Multiple sclerosis (MS) affects more than two million people around the world. This condition dramatically impacts patient quality of life and can result in death in some patients. MS patients have a number of various symptoms, such as loss of feeling, bladder control, and paralysis.
Researchers have better understood how MS affects the body and what causes these symptoms. Inflammation affects patients during the relapse-remittance stage, and neurodegeneration destroys the protective myelin sheaths around nerves. These both lead to eventual symptom development.
The medical community has made great strides to reduce the relapse rate in MS patients. However, some patient groups may not respond to any of the currently available treatments. More effective therapies are needed to improve patient outcomes and quality of life.
Stem cell therapy is a strong contender for a viable MS treatment. Stem cells have a number of attractive properties, such as immune system modulation, that are ideal for treating conditions such as multiple sclerosis. Multiple studies showcase the potential of stem cell therapy for MS patients.
A study, Autologous mesenchymal stem cells for the treatment of secondary progressive multiple sclerosis: an open-label phase 2a proof-of-concept study, performed a study that looked into how stem cells could improve MS patient outcomes. The study’s primary objective was to assess the safety and feasibility of the treatment. The researchers were also interested in the clinical efficacy of stem cell therapy.
Promising Study Results
The clinical trial took place between November 2007 and August 2010. Researchers recruited patients from East Anglia and North London regions of the United Kingdom. The patients had Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) scores between 2.0 and 6.5, along with a few other MS symptoms, such as evidence of optic nerve involvement.
Ninety-eight patients were recruited for the study, but only 14 were eligible, and only ten patients underwent the treatment. All of the patients had secondary progressive MS. Patients received a single intravenous infusion of bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells. This study is different from other clinical trials where patients often receive multiple rounds of stem cell treatments.
Patients were assessed between three and six-month intervals after receiving treatment for at least 12 months after treatments. The researchers performed the assessments based on EDSS scores, MS functional composite (MSFC), Addenbrooke’s cognitive examination revised, 29-item MS impact scale, MRI images, and Beck depression inventory II.
The first conclusion that the study came to was that stem cell therapy is safe for MS patients. Patients did not experience any adverse reactions during the treatment. One patient developed a rash during infusion but resolved itself over 12 hours. Another patient had an itchy scalp one week after treatment that went away two weeks later. Two patients experienced infections in the weeks after receiving the treatment.
The researchers found that patients had improvements in visual acuity and contrast sensitivity, as well as a reduction in visual evoked response latency, an increase in visual evoked response amplitude, and an increase in optic nerve area. Patients saw improvement in EDSS scores. There were also decreases in the volumes of lesions that were visible via MRI. These findings are consistent with other studies that stem cells are able to improve MS patient outcomes.
The researchers were not able to come to a definitive conclusion about how stem cells were able to improve patient outcomes. However, the study concluded that the results of the clinical trial show that stem cells have a neuroprotective effect that promotes myelin repair. Stem cells are able to encourage the body to repair the protective myelin sheaths around the axons. This ability can be incredibly valuable in treating multiple sclerosis.
The researchers hypothesized that the results of the study might be the result of stem cell properties, such as immunoregulation and anti-inflammation. Even just one dose of stem cells was enough to make an impact on the outcome for MS patients.
The researchers stressed that more research must be done before stem cell therapy can be a viable treatment for MS patients. The medical community needs to come to a consensus on a few stem cell therapy variables, such as the number of rounds of stem cell therapy, the type of stem cells, and the dosage of stem cells. These variables can be figured out through more extensive clinical trials.
Stem cells may be a viable treatment method for patients who are suffering from multiple sclerosis. Stem cell therapy may be able to treat the underlying issues of multiple sclerosis.
