Mesenchymal stem cells from other people can treat lupus.

The study, Mesenchymal Stem Cell Transplantation Reverses Multiorgan Dysfunction in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Mice and Humans, published in March 2009 issue of Stem Cell demonstrated positive results for the treatment of Lupus using allogenic stem cells. Many previous studies have published  results using a combination of chemo therapy and transplanting the patient's own processed (autologous) bone marrow stem cells back into the patient. Past studies have shown that these autologous cells can be successfully used to treat extreme cases of Lupus Erythematosus, but this recent study is one of the first studies to show that stem cells derived from other people can successfully be used to treat lupus.

What This Means for Lupus Sufferers

This development offers new hope and options to treatment-refractory lupus patients (patients who did not respond to simple CTX therapy or other common lupus medications).

This news is good news for lupus suffers who have responded poorly or marginally to conventional treatment regimens.  Now you have another option.  For many people CTX treatment is enough to put lupus at bay.  Past studies have shown success using the patient's own bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMMSCs), however the process of harvesting BMMSCs can be taxing on your body, painful and risky, not to mention very expensive...

Now there is evidence that Mesenchymal stem cells harvested from other people (allogenic stem cells) can treat lupus.

What is Lupus?

Lupus erythematosus is a connective tissue disease. Lupus is a chronic inflammatory disease that occurs when the body's immune system attacks its own tissues and organs. Inflammation caused by lupus can affect many different body systems, including joints, skin, kidneys, blood cells, heart, and lungs. Lupus occurs more frequently in women than men, though the reasons for this are unknown. Four types of lupus exist — systemic lupus erythematosus, discoid lupus erythematosus, drug-induced lupus erythematosus and neonatal lupus. Of these, systemic lupus erythematosus is the most common and serious form of lupus. With treatment, most people with lupus can lead active lives.

Allogenic Stem Cell Treatment of Lupus Study

Mesenchymal Stem Cell Transplantation Reverses Multiorgan Dysfunction in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Mice and Humans

STEM CELLS 2009;27:1421-1432 

Abstract

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a multisystem autoimmune disease that, despite the advances in immunosuppressive medical therapies, remains potentially fatal in some patients, especially in treatment-refractory patients. Here, we reported that impairment of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMMSCs) and their associated osteoblastic niche deficiency contribute in part to the pathogenesis of SLE-like disease in MRL/lpr mice. Interestingly, allogenic BMMSC transplantation (MSCT) is capable of reconstructing the bone marrow osteoblastic niche and more effectively reverses multiorgan dysfunction when compared with medical immunosuppression with cyclophosphamide (CTX). At the cellular level, MSCT, not CTX treatment, was capable to induce osteoblastic niche reconstruction, possibly contributing to the recovery of regulatory T-cells and reestablishment of the immune homeostasis. On the basis of the promising clinical outcomes in SLE mice, we treated four CTX/glucocorticoid treatment-refractory SLE patients using allogenic MSCT and showed a stable 12-18 months disease remission in all treated patients. The patients benefited an amelioration of disease activity, improvement in serologic markers and renal function. These early evidences suggest that allogenic MSCT may be a feasible and safe salvage therapy in refractory SLE patients.

Comments

Patients who suffered from symptoms of lupus after conventional treatment and whose organs were in danger were enrolled in this study.  Relatives of the patients donated bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells which were processed and expanded (multiplied) in a laboratory before being transplanted in to the lupus patients.  All treated patients showed a stable disease remission 12-18 months after the treatment.

To understand the mechanism of this treatment, mice were also studied. Groups of SLE mice (lupus erythematosus animal model) were given different treatments and studied for lupus symptoms, disease markers and anatomical changes.  One of the most important findings was that mice treated with CTX lost stem cells from their osteoblastic niches - hampering their body's ability to produce immune system support-cells.  However, once bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells were transplanted into these immuno-deficient mice, the new stem cells repopulated the niches setting up a healthy and functioning immune system.

Past Studies

Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago study, 1997

Stem cell transplants (autologous nonmyeloablative hematopoietic stem cell transplantation or HSCT) were performed on 50 lupus patients who had failed all other lupus treatments at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago, Illinois. The stem cell transplant study ran from April 1997 through January 2005.

At 5 years, 84 percent of the lupus study participants were still alive and 50 percent were free of lupus symptoms.

Treatment of severe systemic lupus erythematosus with high-dose chemotherapy and haemopoietic stem-cell transplantation: a phase I study.

The Lancet 2000; 356(9231):701-707 

Patients treated with immuno-suppressive drugs and their own BMMSCs. All remained symptom free at the 25 month study follow-up examination.

Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation for severe and refractory lupus. Analysis after five years and fifteen patients.

Arthritis Rheum. 2003 Sept; 48(9):2696-7

Fifteen patients with persistent and severe SLE were given hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). Of the 12 patients followed up for >1 year after HSCT, 10 have discontinued immunosuppressive medications, and the prednisone dosage has been tapered to 15 mg/day in 1. Only 2 patients have demonstrated clinical evidence of recurrence of active lupus.