Stem Cells and the Treatment of Lupus

Stem cell and cellular therapy looks extremely promising in the future to treat lupus. These therapies are not from embryonic stem cells, so there is no controversy with respect to this aspect of treatment. In use are two types of stem cells, mesemchymal and hematopoetic. The former is derived from the subcutaneous tissue where fat cells dwell and the latter is from the blood. These are adult stem cells, so there are limitations to what they may mature into. Embryonic cells can become any tissue, bone, neural or connective tissues and we do not know the control factors, so this may come with more medical risk, not only the social controversy.

Their appears to be some danger with the hematopoetic variety as the patients must be pretreated to wipe out their own immune system before treatment, so in this immuno compromised state there is a risk of infection and death (10%). This risk is eliminated with mesenchymal stem cells as no pretreatment appears to be required. So the mesenchymal (from your own fat) approach shows more promise, yet the clinical studies are just starting. So this safer therapy there is not as much science on which base the therapy.

We at the Hawaii Stem Cell Treatment Center are in the beginning stages of studying the anti inflammatory properties and immune modulating affects of stem cell therapy on lupus. We have in place a deployment protocol for extracting stromal vascular fraction which has growth factor and a rich source of stem cells. The procedure is being studied in our network’s IRB protocol. The main stay of treatment for lupus is anti inflammatory medication. Yet this is essentially and incurable disease so it is our hope that cellular therapy will offer more hope.

If you are interested in learning more about stem cell and lupus please contact our office.