Umbilical cord stem cells could be useful for treating rheumatoid arthritis. The umbilical cord has a non-controversial and inexhaustible supply of cord stem cells for therapy.
Cord stem cells have huge potential in the ever expanding field of regenerative medicine. Experimental studies have already indicated that cord stem cells have potential for treating both type 2 and type 1 diabetes. Umbilical cord blood has a number of different types of cord stem cells, like endothelial progenitor cells, hematopoietic stem cells, and mesenchymal stem cells. Mesenchymal stem cells derived from umbilical cord blood have been shown in animal as well as in vitro experiments to attenuate collagen-induced arthritis and suppress inflammation.
Not a lot is known about umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells, and there has not been other research on their use for treating rheumatoid arthritis. Mesenchymal stem cells can exert powerful immunosuppression, which supports their use for treating autoimmune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis. The most common supply of mesenchymal stem cells has to date been from bone marrow. But, the quantity and the differentiating potential of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells decrease with age and aspirating bone marrow is an invasive procedure. In comparison, no invasive procedure is required for collecting umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells.
Immune cells were taken from individuals with rheumatoid arthritis and umbilical mesenchymal stem cells were shown to suppress the cells’ proliferation, inflammatory responses and invasive behavior. Collagen-induced arthritis severity in mice was significantly reduced by systemic infusion of the umbilical mesenchymal stem cells.
Cord Blood Stem Cells Treatment Infographic
Image Source: Cord Blood
References: DOI: 10.1186/ar3187