The role of stem cell therapy in multiple sclerosis: An overview of the current status of the clinical studies

Authors
Rokhsareh Meamar 1
Shahrzad Nematollahi 2
Leila Dehghani 1
Omid Mirmosayyeb 3
Vahid Shayegannejad 4
Keivan Basiri 4
Amir Pouya Tanhaei 3
1 Department of Medical Sciences, Islamic Azad University, Najafabad Branch, Tehran; Isfahan Neurosciences Research Center, Al Zahra Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
2 PhD Candidate in Epidemiology, School of Public Health and Institute of Public Health Research, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
3 Isfahan Neurosciences Research Center, Al Zahra Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
4 Isfahan Neurosciences Research Center, Al Zahra Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran; Department of Neurology, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
Abstract
The complexity of multiple sclerosis (MS) and the incompetence of a large number of promised treatments for MS urge us to plan new and more effective therapeutic approaches that aim to suppress ongoing autoimmune responses and induction of local endogenous regeneration. Emerging data propose that hematopoietic, mesenchymal, and neural stem cells have the potential to restore self-tolerance, provide in situ immunomodulation and neuroprotection, as well as promote regeneration. Thus, in this article, we will first provide an overview of the cell sources for proposed mechanisms that contribute to the beneficial effects of stem cell transplantation, the ideal route and/or timing of stem cell-based therapies for each main stem cell group, and finally, an overview of the current status of stem cell research in clinical trial stages in MS by comparable and healthy therapeutic effects of different stem cell therapies for MS patients.
Keywords
Cell therapy and transplantation
clinical trial
hematopoietic stem cells
mesenchymal stem cells
multiple sclerosis
neural stem/precursor cells
stem cells
Advanced Biomedical Research
Volume 2016, March
March 2016
Pages 1-1