by admin | Jan 18, 2024 | Multiple Sclerosis, Mesenchymal Stem Cells, Stem Cell Research, Stem Cell Therapy
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a progressive autoimmune disease that affects the brain, spinal cord, and central nervous system (CNS). Affecting an estimated 3 million people worldwide, MS is typically characterized by an autoimmune response that results in inflammation, demyelination, and degeneration of axons.
Most patients who are diagnosed with MS demonstrate a disease progression characterized by periods of relapse and remission that can last for an extended duration.
There is no treatment that can yet address the various rates of MS progression. Additionally, current therapeutic approaches are designed to address the shortening of the duration of recovery following an attack, mitigating the progression of the disease, and attenuating the symptoms associated with MS.
Recently, mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have shown various ranges of effectiveness when used for treatment of autoimmune diseases in clinical trials. However, most of the trials utilizing MSCs for this purpose have been reported for a variety of reasons, including a low number of treated subjects, different doses used in the studies, the feasibility of autologous or allogeneic transplantation, and the unclear therapeutic window after the treatment effect.
Considering this, the purpose of Islam et al.’s systematic review and meta-analysis (SRMA) was to provide a comprehensive assessment of the effectiveness and safety of MSC therapy in individuals diagnosed with MS. To achieve this, the authors identified studies that reported on the efficacy and safety of MSC therapy in human patients with MS based on the changes in the Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) score from baseline to follow-up period. This screening process resulted in a total of 30 studies being incorporated into the systematic review and 22 studies being included in the subsequent meta-analysis.
Islam et al. reported that, following MSC therapy, it was observed that 40.4% of the patients with MS experienced improvement; 32.8% of patients remained stable while 18.1% experienced a worsening of their condition. In terms of the safety of MSC therapy, the authors reported that while no major complications were observed, headaches (57.6%), fever (53.1%), urinary tract infections (23.9%), and respiratory tract infections (7.9%) were the most commonly reported adverse events.
While further research, the development of new technology, optimization of MSC doses, and larger clinical trials are needed to fully evaluate the use of MSC therapy in the treatment of MS, the authors conclude that the results of this SRMA indicate that MSC therapy seems to be an efficacious therapeutic strategy for treating patients with MS.
Source: Islam MA, Alam SS, Kundu S, Ahmed S, Sultana S, Patar A, Hossan T. Mesenchymal Stem Cell Therapy in Multiple Sclerosis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Journal of Clinical Medicine. 2023; 12(19):6311. https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm12196311
by admin | Jan 17, 2024 | Exosomes, Glaucoma, Regenerative Medicine, Stem Cell Research, Stem Cell Therapy
According to the World Health Organization, at least 2.2 billion people worldwide have near or distant vision impairment. In at least 1 billion of these cases, vision impairment could have been prevented or has yet to be addressed. Glaucoma, corneal disease, and retinal disorders are among the leading contributors to these vision impairments.
Since the pathogenesis of these eye diseases is not fully understood, fully effective treatments have yet to be developed. Considering this, Li et al. reviewed recent research to examine the effectiveness of exosomes in various diseases in vivo, which provides the potential for a new option for the treatment of eye diseases.
Exosomes are extracellular small vesicles that are formed by the regulation of endocytosis, fusion, and efflux and contain a variety of biologically active substances, including proteins, miRNAs, IncRNAs, and lipids.
Exosomes are found in all biological fluids and have roles that vary depending on their origin. These roles include cell-to-cell communication, waste transfer, and regulation of the immune system in vivo. Additionally, when serving as a carrier, exosomes are involved in many pathological processes such as nerve repair, vascular regeneration, immune response, and fibrosis formation.
Examining the various roles exosomes play within the body, the authors of this review consider their role in the treatment of serious ocular diseases, including glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, and keratitis. Li et al. point to studies demonstrating exosomes’ ability to promote the repair of injured nerves, inhibit fibrosis, modulate immune function, and promote angiogenesis as evidence of the important role they have in treating ocular disease.
Specifically, exosomes contain a large number of immunosuppressive molecules that inhibit lymphocyte proliferation and effectively increase ocular immune tolerance to prevent ocular autoimmune disease.
Exosomes can also transfer protein and RNA to receptor cells and can accelerate wound healing of corneal epithelial cells, providing a new approach for treating large corneal lesions.
Studies have also demonstrated a link between exosomes and age-related macular degeneration (AMD) with specific exosomes considered to have neuroprotective effects that are closely related to the pathological progression of AMD.
The authors conclude that exosomes are able to be used as therapeutic carriers to participate in processes such as immune response, angiogenesis, and nerve repair in ocular-related diseases. While research into this is still emerging, the presence and accessibility of exosomes will become a potential way to diagnose and treat ocular diseases.
Source: “Progress in exosomes and their potential use in ocular diseases.” 18 Sep. 2020, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7459212/.
by Stemedix | Jan 15, 2024 | Health Awareness, Back Pain, Pain Management, Regenerative Medicine, Stem Cell Research, Stem Cell Therapy
For the treatment of a variety of health conditions, one option more people are relying on is regenerative medicine. This field focuses on helping your body’s natural healing process function at its best, making it possible for tissues to regenerate so that you can obtain pain relief and improve mobility. There are various types of regenerative medicine. Learn more about them to know the choices you have.
Regenerative Medicine: What It Is and What It’s Used For
Regenerative medicine is a group of treatments focused on healing tissues throughout the body while also restoring the function you may have lost because of aging, medical conditions, and more.
When you’re young, your body is able to heal more efficiently, but the older you get, the longer the healing process can take. In some instances, this longer length of time even leads to the development of chronic pain issues that can be tough to deal with.
With regenerative medicine, you get the chance to try minimally invasive treatments that can offer results. Most of the best regenerative medicine options focus on stem cells, but some also rely on your blood’s components to provide lasting results.
Regenerative medicine can offer help for many types of issues, including:
The kind of condition you have may dictate the type of regenerative treatment that has the potential to be most effective.
The Different Kinds of Regenerative Medicine Therapies
There are many regenerative medicine therapies to choose from, but some of the most trusted include stem cell therapy, platelet-rich plasma, and prolotherapy.
What Is Stem Cell Therapy?
Stem cell therapy is a treatment option that utilizes stem cells to promote healing. Stem cells are undifferentiated cells that can create specialized ones. They have the ability to self-renew and create functional tissues, working as the body’s repair system.
During stem cell therapy, your healthcare provider injects stem cells into the treatment area. There are different types of stem cells, including adult stem cells and embryonic stem cells.
Adult stem cells are undifferentiated cells found in various tissues throughout the body, including fat and bone marrow. They have a more limited ability to differentiate than embryonic stem cells, but they are much more readily available because they come from your body.
Mesenchymal stem cells are found in fat and bone marrow, among other tissues, and they can help the body respond to inflammation and promote healing.
What Is Platelet-Rich Plasma?
Your blood is made up of a few components, including:
- White blood cells
- Red blood cells
- Plasma
- Platelets
Plasma is the liquid portion of blood. Platelets are not actually cells but cell fragments that help with the clotting process and contain growth factors that can stimulate cellular reproduction as well as healing at the treatment site. Platelet-rich plasma refers to plasma that has more platelets than usual.
To create a PRP injection, your doctor takes a sample of your blood and runs it through a centrifuge. The centrifuge spins the sample very rapidly, dividing the blood components so that your doctor can extract the platelets and add them to the plasma. This is then injected at the treatment area.
PRP therapy can be a good option for the treatment of ligament injuries, osteoarthritis, post-surgical healing, and even hair loss.
These injections work to reduce inflammation at the treatment site, which allows better circulation. More blood flow means the area receives more nutrients and oxygen, helping with the healing process. Less inflammation also means less pain.
What Is Prolotherapy?
Prolotherapy is another type of regenerative medicine that can be used to relieve pain. It involves injecting a small amount of an irritant, like sugar, into the treatment area. This irritant trigger an immune response and jumpstarts your body’s natural ability.
It shows promise in the treatment of musculoskeletal conditions, including issues with your bones, ligaments, soft tissues, and more.
Your body responds to the sugar or other irritant as a threat, triggering your immune and healing responses to rush to the area to remove the irritant and also begin the healing process.
Benefits of Regenerative Medicine
Regenerative medicine offers the chance to get relief from pain and inflammation without having to go through invasive procedures. Most regenerative medicine options require only a minimally invasive procedure, like providing a sample of blood or undergoing a mini liposuction procedure to obtain fat.
Because regenerative medicine procedures don’t require an elaborate process, you don’t have to worry about a long preparation or recovery period. You can usually get back to your normal life right after receiving treatment.
Regenerative medicine works to help manage the underlying cause of the pain you’re experiencing. It doesn’t just mask symptoms as pain medication and anti-inflammatories do. By offering the potential of healing injuries, it may be able to provide lasting relief.
Regenerative medicine is also more affordable than an invasive procedure like surgery. The surgery itself is costly, and the recovery can mean relying on physical therapies that add to the budget. That is not an issue you have to worry about with regenerative medicine options like stem cell therapy, PRP therapy, or prolotherapy.
Managing Pain and Inflammation with Regenerative Medicine
Regenerative medicine holds significant promise for the treatment of conditions that cause pain and inflammation. By relying on your natural healing process, regenerative medicine only improves what your body does.
If you’re considering regenerative medicine to help with any conditions you face, ask your healthcare provider about it to see if it’s a good choice for you.
by Stemedix | Jan 12, 2024
Best Stem Cell Therapy in Fort Lauderdale Do you or someone close to you suffer from a chronic condition that has not responded to conventional treatment? You may have heard of the potential benefits stem cell therapy offers, but you are not sure where to start....
by Stemedix | Jan 12, 2024
Regenerative Medicine Orlando Regenerative medicine harnesses the power of your body’s most powerful cells for pain relief and healing. Stemedix is a St Pete, Florida-based company that offers stem cell and platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapies to relieve chronic pain....
St. Petersburg, Florida
