title: Mesenchymal Stem Cells to Treat Crohn's Disease with Fistula.
abstract: Crohn's disease, which mainly affects the gastrointestinal tract, is a refractory inflammatory disease that has clinical manifestations of abdominal pain, fever, bowel obstruction, and diarrhea with blood or mucus. Together, these symptoms can severely impair a patient's quality of life. Besides the common complication of intestinal obstruction, fistulas, particularly anorectal fistulas, are common in Crohn's disease patients. Since radical surgical cures can be difficult to achieve and relapse is common, Crohn's disease patients often seek other effective treatments in addition to surgery. Stem-cell therapies have recently been proposed as a method to address the challenges and prospective medical needs of Crohn's disease patients in general and those with fistulas. Several studies suggest that mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) could improve Crohn's disease and Crohn's fistula. Moreover, studies concerning MSC transplantation or local rejection of stem cells derived from bone marrow or adipose tissue-derived stem cells have assessed stem cell-based treatments for refractory Crohn's disease. Many patients in these studies are now in remission. A number of clinical trials for refractory Crohn's disease have also evaluated transplantation of autologous or allogenic MSCs and showed that MSCs can be safely administered to Crohn's disease patients, with some achieving positive clinical responses.
authors.affiliation: 1 State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy/Collaborative Innovation Center of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University , Chengdu, P.R. China .|2 Laboratory Animal Center, Sichuan University , Chengdu, P.R. China .
authors.forename: Xiao-Mei
authors.initials: XM
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: 1 State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy/Collaborative Innovation Center of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University , Chengdu, P.R. China .
authors.forename: Yu-Jing
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: 1 State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy/Collaborative Innovation Center of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University , Chengdu, P.R. China .
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: 1 State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy/Collaborative Innovation Center of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University , Chengdu, P.R. China .
authors.forename: Yu-Quan
authors.initials: YQ
authors.lastname: Wei
authors.affiliation: 1 State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy/Collaborative Innovation Center of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University , Chengdu, P.R. China .|2 Laboratory Animal Center, Sichuan University , Chengdu, P.R. China .
authors.forename: Hong-Xin
authors.initials: HX
authors.lastname: Deng
mesh_terms: D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D003424:Crohn Disease / Q000150:complications* / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D007412:Intestinal Fistula / Q000150:complications* / Q000628:therapy*; D045164:Mesenchymal Stem Cell Transplantation; D059630:Mesenchymal Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology*
keywords: Crohn's disease; fistula; mesenchymal stem cells; stem cell therapy