Treatment of severe autoimmune disease by stem-cell transplantation.
Transplantation of haematopoietic stem cells--cells capable of self renewing and reconstituting all types of blood cell--can treat numerous lethal diseases, including leukaemias and lymphomas. It may now be applicable for the treatment of severe autoimmune diseases, such as therapy-resistant rheumatoid arthritis and multiple sclerosis. Studies in animal models show that the transfer of haematopoietic stem cells can reverse autoimmunity, and several mechanistic pathways may explain this phenomenon. The outcome of ongoing clinical trials, as well as of studies in patients and animal models, will help to determine the role that stem-cell transplantation can play in the treatment of autoimmune diseases.
Sykes
Megan
M
Bone Marrow Transplantation Section, Transplantation Biology Research Center, Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School, MGH East, Building 149-5102, 13th Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02129, USA. sykes@tbrc.mgh.harvard.edu
Nikolic
Boris
B
D000818:Animals; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000276:immunology* / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D007108:Immune Tolerance / Q000276:immunology; D007165:Immunosuppression Therapy; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D033581:Stem Cell Transplantation