Page 21 - Power of Stem Cells- arthritis and regeneration

Stem Cell T erapy: A Rising Tide

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) can modulate the immune system 34,35,36,37 and have

been used safely to treat certain inf ammatory conditions 38,39,40,41 in clinical settings.
Additionally, MSCs have the ability to regenerate worn-out cartilage, with umbilical cord-
42
derived MSCs showing greater capacity than other MSC sources. Treatment with MSCs has
43
been shown to be ef ective in animal models 44,45,46,47 of RA, and MSCs have been ef ective

at inhibiting production of inf ammatory cytokines from cells derived from RA patients. 48,49

MSC infusions are almost always followed by an increase in T-regulatory cells, which calm
down the inf ammatory T cell inf ammation response common in rheumatoid arthritis. In

2010 we published a case report showing improvement in a 67-year-old RA patient, along
50
with our proposed rationale for treatment with MSCs. Additionally, we reported no major

side ef ects in 13 RA patients given a total of 35 injections of cells from their fat in 2012. 51

23
who was treated with umbilical cord “
Angela was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis in 2008 af er doctors

misdiagnosed her with f u symptoms and joint pain. She was on the
usual concoction of pharmaceuticals
in addition to monthly infusions of a
biologic that cost $6,500 each month
People don’t know
and yet only partially controlled her
that I have arthritis

condition. She still had a dif cult time
getting up in the morning and had to take

a nap each af ernoon. When her brother,
active for my age.
I outrun people
MSCs and is a proponent of stem cell now. I am pretty
who are 15 years
therapy, suggested she try the treatment, younger than I am.
she was skeptical because her doctors
told her it was an unproven treatment. It was the cells
in Panama that
Angela came to our clinic in 2014 and did that, even my
received four stem cell infusions over the
course of one week. By the second day rheumatologist
she felt so good that she wanted to take a attests to that,”
Marian said.

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