Immunomodulatory Effects of Stem Cells for Rheumatoid Arthritis

If you or someone you know struggles with rheumatoid arthritis, you’re likely searching for the newest treatment options to manage this chronic condition. For unknown causes, more women get RA than men, and the condition usually develops around middle age. For some having a family member with RA increases the odds of developing RA later in life. Genetic screening is available to test for hereditary autoimmune diseases. In the last decade, there has been significant advancements in stem cell therapy for rheumatoid arthritis. This groundbreaking treatment has already had a huge impact on patients suffering from this debilitating chronic disease ^[1].

In healthy people, the immune system helps to fights invaders, such as viruses and bacteria. With autoimmune diseases like RA, the immune system mistakes their own cells as foreign invaders and then releases inflammatory target chemicals to attack their own cells. Tn RA, attack the synovium tissue lining around joints that normally help produces a fluid that keeps our joints moving smoothly. Over time, the chronically inflamed synovium gets slightly thicker making the joint area feel painful, red, swollen and tender to the touch. For most moving those joints becomes difficult ^[2].

Understanding Rheumatoid Arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a common autoimmune disease that causes joint inflammation, leading to pain, swelling, stiffness, and damage. Over time, RA can also affect other organs in the body, leading to various complications. Scientists aren’t exactly sure why some people develop RA. Some research shows that these individuals might have certain genes that can be activated or triggered based on the environment, such as a bacterial, viral exposure, physical abd emotive stress are also known external factors that can cause autoimmune attack.

Current Treatments for Rheumatoid Arthritis

Current treatments for rheumatoid arthritis primarily focus on managing symptoms and slowing the progression of the disease. These treatments can include:

• Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)
• Corticosteroids
• Disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs)
• Biologic agents
• Physical therapy and exercise

Although these treatments can provide some relief, they often come with side effects and may not be effective for everyone. This has led researchers to explore alternative treatment options, such as stem cell therapy for rheumatoid arthritis and for treatment of other orthopedic joint degeneration ( sports injuries ) to the shoulders, hips, knees, lower back, neck and spinal cord.

Does stem cell therapy work for rheumatoid arthritis?

The integrity of your cartilage could slowly wear down to the point of daily mild to severe pain. Osteoarthritis may also affect the hips, knees, spinal column, and most notably the finger articulations of your hands. Some people encounter extreme stiffness and pain, and in severe cases, the degenerative joint condition of rheumatoid arthritis can easily result in severe deformities in the affected locations. Learn more about tissue engineering and the basics of stem cell therapies.

Modulation of Immune Function

RA or Rheumatoid arthritis is an orthopedic disease that generally takes place in men and women over the age of 40. RA is a long term degenerative ailment that has significant effects on the joint tissues in the hands, feet, and arms. People dealing with rheumatoid arthritis may typically live with the disease for years without even knowing they even have it. Stem cell research has shown that as RA progresses, the severe destruction of your joints will undoubtedly get considerably worse. Learn more about the rheumatoid arthritis diet

The Regeneration Center protocol for treating rheumatoid arthritis, Hashimoto’s Disease, spinal arthritis, connective tissue disease, spinal stenosis,inclusion body myositis, Ocular Myasthenia gravis MG,  osteoporosis and osteoarthritis are based science based research and allows for higher success rates, higher cell viability and longer term improvements and pain management. Our unique msc+ stem cell therapy takes a natural regenerative approach to symptom relief and use enhanced Mesenchymal cells (expanded) with paracrine cell signaling growth factors & chondrocyte implantation to rapidly and successfully fix the impaired cells in your body ^[3].

The Role of Stem Cells in Managing Rheumatoid Arthritis

Stem cells are unique cells in the body that can self-renew and differentiate into specialized cell types. This unique property makes them an attractive option for regenerative medicine and treating various diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, Sjogren’s syndrome, Type 1 diabetes, kidney disease, IBD Crohn’s Disease, pancreatitis, ALS, Alzheimers, Parkinsons, strokes, multiple sclerosis and cystic fibrosis.

Types of Stem Cells for Rheumatoid Arthritis

Several types of stem cells have been used in clinical trials of stem cell for rheumatoid arthritis:

• Embryonic stem cells (ESCs)
• Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs)
• Adult stem cells, including isolated cord tissue mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs)from peripheral blood ^[4].

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Clinical Trial Evidence for Stem Cell Therapy in Rheumatoid Arthritis

The results of several clinical studies have shown that Isolated MSC stem cell therapy did not cause any adverse effects for patients and resulted in clinically verifiable improvements in the following areas:

• Reduction of chemokines and inflammatory cytokines
• Increase in overall percentage of Regulatory T cells  that suppress immune reposes ( levels measured with peripheral blood)
• Improvements in upregulation of IL-4-producing Th2 cells – Th2 cells help to mediate activation levels and maintenance of immune response against bacteria, extracellular parasites, toxins & allergen. Th2 cells also help mediate functions by producing several types of cytokines including  Interleukin 4 (IL-4), Interleukin 5 (IL-5), Interleukin 6 (IL-6), Interleukin 9 (IL-9), Interleukin 13 (IL-13), Interleukin 17 (IL-17E) and Interleukin 25 (IL-25).
• Over 65% of patients showed significant disease remission based on ACR criteria & = DAS28 scores 6 months after treatment
• The results also show that MSC  stem cells can result in long-term beneficial effects for up to 36 months post therapy. 

MSC+ stem cells have gained significant attention in recent years due to their anti-inflammatory, cell signaling and immunomodulatory properties, making them a promising option for treating rheumatoid arthritis. The Regeneration center protocol for RA uses proprietary methods that allow for a 25X increase in the immunomodulatory effects of Isolated MSC Stem cells for RA using a combination of tissue specific growth factors, priming by pro-inflammatory cytokines, autophagy and hypoxia over a 2 week protocol^[5].

How Does Stem Cell Therapy for Rheumatoid Arthritis Work?

Stem cells treatment rheumatoid arthritis is primarily focused on utilizing isolated and expanded MSCs cells + tissue specific growth factors to target inflammation and promote tissue repair. The process generally involves:

1. Harvesting MSCs from the patient’s bone marrow, adipose tissue, or donated umbilical cord tissue
2. Processing and expanding the types and quantities stem cells in a certified stem cell laboratory
3. Depending on the patients medical needs the isolated & expanded stem cells and introduced back into the patients’ affected joints or through combinations of intramuscular injections and/or intravenous infusions
   

Once inside the body, the isolated MSC cells are growth factors help to:

• Modulate the negative immune response and reduce inflammation
• Releasing growth factors and cytokines to promote tissue repair and regeneration
• Inhibiting the formation of scar tissue and promoting the growth of healthy cartilage

By addressing both inflammation and joint damage, stem cell therapy for rheumatoid arthritis has the potential to offer a more comprehensive solution for patients with this chronic conditions.

Challenges & Considerations when using Stem Cells for RA

While stem cell therapy holds great promise for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, several challenges and considerations must be addressed and understood:

• Stem cells are not appropriate or effective in all cases. Patients with idiopathic diagnosis, multiple comorbidities, severe and debilitating chronic pain might not respond well.
• Optimal stem cell source: Determining the best source of isolated MSC Stem cells needed for therapy remains a vital component for each case. The Regeneration Center offers both autologous and allogeneic stem cell therapies for RA and each source (bone marrow, adipose tissue, and umbilical cord tissue) has its own advantages and drawbacks.
• Standardization of procedures: As the stage and severity varies for each patient there is no standard protocol for using stem cells for rheumatoid arthritis. The Regeneration Center stem cell protocol can vary depending on source for harvesting, processing/culturing, and administering  of stem cells themselves.
• Cost and accessibility: The cost to isolate and expand specific types of cells for use in RA treatment can be expensive, and insurance coverage varies widely depending on where patients live. Ensuring accessibility and affordability for patients is essential and the cost for treating rheumatoid arthritis with stem cells at the Regeneration Center will be provided in detail upon completion of medical evaluation.
  
• Regulatory and ethical concerns: The use of stem cells, particularly ESCs and iPSCs, raises ethical and regulatory issues that must be addressed before the widespread adoption of these treatments however the Regeneration Center does not use or offer Embryonic cells for any treatment.
  

Stem cell treatment for rheumatoid arthritis represents a promising new treatment option that will revolutionize the management of this chronic and debilitating disease. Although we are still in the early stages of stem cell science, the results so far are encouraging, and will only continue getting better results over time.

MSC+ Stem Cell treatment for rheumatoid arthritis will require minimum of 2 weeks in total. Due to the varying degrees of severity, our medical team will need to evaluate all potential patients so that an appropriate protocol can be established. Upon approval, a detailed treatment plan will be provided that will include the specifics such as exact total number nights required along with the total medical related costs. To begin the evaluation process for our multi-stage rheumatoid arthritis treatment using stem cells please prepare your recent medical records such as radiology scans w/ blood test results and contact us today.

Published Clinical Citations

[1] ^Munchey R, Pongmesa T. Health-Related Quality of Life and Functional Ability of Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Study from a Tertiary Care Hospital in Thailand. Value Health Reg Issues. 2018 May;15:76-81. doi: 10.1016/j.vhri.2017.08.012. Epub 2017 Oct 16. PMID: 29474183.

[2] ^Lau CS, Chia F, Harrison A, Hsieh TY, Jain R, Jung SM, Kishimoto M, Kumar A, Leong KP, Li Z, Lichauco JJ, Louthrenoo W, Luo SF, Nash P, Ng CT, Park SH, Suryana BP, Suwannalai P, Wijaya LK, Yamamoto K, Yang Y, Yeap SS; Asia Pacific League of Associations for Rheumatology in Thailand. APLAR rheumatoid arthritis treatment recommendations. Int J Rheum Dis. 2015 Sep;18(7):685-713. doi: 10.1111/1756-185X.12754. Erratum in: Int J Rheum Dis. 2015 Nov;18(8):917. PMID: 26334449.

[3] ^Liu H, Li R, Liu T, Yang L, Yin G, Xie Q. Immunomodulatory Effects of Mesenchymal Stem Cells and Mesenchymal Stem Cell-Derived Extracellular Vesicles in Rheumatoid Arthritis. Front Immunol. 2020 Aug 20;11:1912. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2020.01912. PMID: 32973792; PMCID: PMC7468450.

[4] ^Sarsenova M, Issabekova A, Abisheva S, Rutskaya-Moroshan K, Ogay V, Saparov A. Mesenchymal Stem Cell-Based Therapy for Rheumatoid Arthritis. Int J Mol Sci. 2021 Oct 27;22(21):11592. doi: 10.3390/ijms222111592. PMID: 34769021; PMCID: PMC8584240.

[5] ^ Wang L, Huang S, Li S, Li M, Shi J, Bai W, Wang Q, Zheng L, Liu Y. Efficacy and Safety of Umbilical Cord Mesenchymal Stem Cell Therapy for Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients: A Prospective Phase I/II Study. Thailand Ther. 2019 Dec 19;13:4331-4340. doi: 10.2147/DDDT.S225613. PMID: 31908418; PMCID: PMC6930836.