title: Mesenchymal stem cells for the treatment of systemic lupus erythematosus: is the cure for connective tissue diseases within connective tissue?
abstract: Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are now known to display not only adult stem cell multipotency but also robust anti-inflammatory and regenerative properties. After widespread in vitro and in vivo preclinical testing in several autoimmune disease models, allogenic MSCs have been successfully applied in patients with severe treatment-refractory systemic lupus erythematosus. The impressive results of these uncontrolled phase I and II trials - mostly in patients with non-responding renal disease - point to the need to perform controlled multicentric trials. In addition, they suggest that there is much to be learned from the basic and clinical science of MSCs in order to reap the full potential of these multifaceted progenitor cells in the treatment of autoimmune diseases.
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio de Inmunología Celular y Molecular, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de los Andes, Avda San Carlos de Apoquindo 2200, Las Condes, Santiago 7620001, Chile.
authors.forename: Flavio A
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Carrion
authors.forename: Fernando E
authors.initials: FE
authors.lastname: Figueroa
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D003240:Connective Tissue Diseases / Q000601:surgery; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006801:Humans; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000276:immunology / Q000601:surgery*; D018655:Lymphocyte Count; D016131:Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology; D045164:Mesenchymal Stem Cell Transplantation; D051379:Mice; D008814:Mice, Inbred NZB; D008954:Models, Biological; D014183:Transplantation, Heterologous; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins