"Study Reveals Diminished Intestinal Inflammation and Enhanced Wound Healing in a Mouse Model"
Research has discovered that the direct administration of neonatal mesenchymal stem cells, obtained from heart tissue that is typically discarded during surgeries, can effectively decrease intestinal inflammation and accelerate wound healing in a mouse model simulating Crohn's disease-like ileitis. Crohn's disease is characterized by persistent inflammation in the intestines and gradual tissue damage. This study presents a hopeful and innovative treatment option, offering an alternative to existing medications for Crohn's disease that often suffer from diminishing efficacy, severe side effects, and an elevated risk of gastrointestinal issues.
Research conducted at the Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago has revealed that the direct injection of neonatal mesenchymal stem cells, obtained from heart tissue that is typically discarded during surgeries, effectively reduces intestinal inflammation and enhances wound healing in a mouse model mimicking Crohn's disease-like ileitis. Crohn's disease is characterized by chronic inflammation in the intestines and gradual tissue damage. This study offers promising insights into a potential treatment approach, providing hope for managing Crohn's disease and its related complications.
The study, which has been published in the journal Advanced Therapeutics, presents a promising and innovative treatment approach for Crohn's disease, overcoming the limitations of current medications associated with reduced efficacy, severe side effects, and an increased risk of gastrointestinal issues.
According to senior author Arun Sharma, PhD, from Stanley Manne Children's Research Institute at Lurie Children's, and Research Associate Professor of Urology and Biomedical Engineering at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine and the McCormick School of Engineering, Northwestern University, "Neonatal cardiac-derived mesenchymal stem cells have been used in a clinical trial to repair an injured heart, but this is the first time these potent cells have been studied in an inflammatory intestinal disease model." The results from their research are encouraging and represent a new potential avenue for treating aspects of chronic inflammatory bowel diseases.
However, before these stem cells can be clinically utilized to treat Crohn's disease, the team needs to address the challenge of how they are administered. In the current animal model study, the stem cells were directly injected into the inflammatory lesions in the small intestine, requiring surgical procedures. The next step is to develop a safe method to deliver them into the body through a vein, similar to performing a blood draw in a patient's arm. More animal studies will be conducted to pave the way for clinical trials of this novel treatment approach.
Dr. Sharma adds, "Ultimately, our goal is to use this cell type not only as a treatment but also as a preventive measure, even before the signs and symptoms of Crohn's disease appear. Additionally, this approach might be applicable to other inflammatory diseases, offering enormous potential, and we are excited to move forward with our research."
The research at Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago is conducted through Stanley Manne Children's Research Institute, which is dedicated to improving child health and transforming pediatric medicine to ensure healthier futures through the pursuit of knowledge. Lurie Children's is a nonprofit organization committed to providing exceptional care for every child and is ranked as one of the top children's hospitals in the nation by U.S. News & World Report. Moreover, Lurie Children's serves as the pediatric training ground for Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine.
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