Treating Liver Cirrhosis with Umbilical Cord-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells
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Every time the liver suffers some kind of damage, such as from an infection, it attempts to repair itself. Every time it has to repair itself, it results in scar tissue. As the scar tissue continues to build and build, it turns into a severe condition called cirrhosis.
Cirrhosis is a chronic condition that affects the liver and can cause severe health consequences or even death. As the condition worsens, more and more scar tissue develops, which makes it increasingly more difficult for the liver to function properly.
In many cases, cirrhosis can be caused by severe conditions or diseases, like chronic alcoholism or even hepatitis. The unfortunate truth is that most of the damage that is done by cirrhosis can never be undone. However, if the condition is diagnosed early on, and the underlying condition that resulted in the development of scar tissue is treated, further damage can be limited or prevented. There are even some instances where the scar tissue damage is reversed. However, this is incredibly rare.
Stages of Liver Cirrhosis
When it comes to diagnosing liver cirrhosis, a patient can be diagnosed as being in one of five stages. Each stage has its own signs and symptoms that can indicate the severity of the disease and the possibility of recovering. These stages include the following:
Liver Cirrhosis Stage One: Stage 1 is the earliest stage of the disease and is characterized by inflammation of the liver. At this stage, the body begins to react to this toxic imbalance with inflammation, which results in swelling of the organs. This inflammation can cause a variety of symptoms, including pain in the abdomen, fatigue, and weight loss. Left untreated, this inflammation can lead to scarring of the liver, which is generally irreversible. In some cases, treatment at this stage may be able to prevent or delay the progression to later stages of the disease.
Liver Cirrhosis Stage Two: If no treatment is started, the liver will begin to scar. When the liver begins to scar, it impacts its function. As more scarring builds up, it further impacts the function and efficiency of the liver. This can cause the tissues to be overtaken by fibrosis. Toxins continue to build up and become fibrotic, which prevents the liver from functioning correctly. Scarring also restricts the flow of blood to the organs and can result in necrosis. At this stage, recovery is still possible with some lifestyle changes and medications.
Liver Cirrhosis Stage Three: At stage three, the liver has suffered severe scarring. The liver loses the ability to heal itself. This stage is the first stage that is considered full cirrhosis. At this stage, the liver will start to get infections more often, which then begins to compound the amount of scarring. The patient may begin to feel pain and discomfort. They may feel tenderness in the area and begin experiencing appetite problems, bloating, and fatigue. Jaundice may begin developing at this stage as well.
Liver Cirrhosis Stage Four: Stage four is considered the final stage of cirrhosis. It can take several years for a patient to reach this stage. However, it is the phase that indicates that the liver has stopped functioning completely and can no longer heal itself. At this stage, a patient can either have acute liver failure, which occurs quickly as a result of a poison in the system such as a drug overdose, or chronic liver failure, which indicates that the patient needs a liver transplant.
Liver Cirrhosis Stage Five: At this stage, a patient will begin to develop liver cancer. The unhealthy cells of the liver will multiply. When cancer development begins in the liver, it is referred to as primary liver cancer.
How Many People Have Liver Cirrhosis?
According to statistics, one out of every 400 adults in the United States has liver cirrhosis. This equals around 4.5 million Americans currently living with this condition. The disease is most common in adults who are between the ages of 45 and 54, where one in every 200 people has been diagnosed.
Recent statistics show that more than 121 million people across the globe suffer from cirrhosis. Across the globe, cirrhosis is the 11th leading cause of death.
What are the Symptoms of Liver Cirrhosis?
In many cases, liver cirrhosis does not have any symptoms until the damage becomes severe. Once symptoms do appear, they can be debilitating and are often irreversible. Some of the most common symptoms include:
- Itchy skin
- Swelling of the ankles, feet, and legs (edema)
- Loss of appetite
- Fatigue
- Yellowing skin or eyes (jaundice)
- Fatigue
- Clubbing of the fingers
- Confusion
- Spider-like blood vessels on the skin
- Thumb and index fingernail paleness
- Slurred speech
- Pain around the liver area
- Drowsiness
- Loss of period not relative to menopause (in women)
- Reddening hands and palms
- Loss of sex drive, breast enlargement, or shrinking testicles (in men)
- Weight loss
These symptoms can worsen as the disease worsens. In late stages, sufferers may experience a build-up of fluids in the legs and abdomen, bloody vomit, tarry-looking and dark stool, and severe jaundice. When patients suffer from liver cirrhosis, they are often prescribed multiple medications to help alleviate the symptoms and provide some relief.
What Treatment Options are Available for Liver Cirrhosis?
The type of treatment that a person receives for cirrhosis will generally be determined by the cause of the condition. If a person suffers cirrhosis as a result of alcoholism, they will be required to stop drinking in order to improve their health or to help prevent further deterioration.
When people suffer from cirrhosis as a result of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, becoming healthier can help them control their blood sugar levels and improve the function of the liver. For this reason, doctors will generally recommend a diet and exercise program in order to help reduce their weight.
When a person suffers from cirrhosis as a result of hepatitis, doctors will generally prescribe medications to help limit further damage to the cells. In addition, they may prescribe medications that will help to slow the progression of various types of liver cirrhosis.
It is important to know that liver cirrhosis can develop for several years and worsen over time. There are some steps that a person can take in an effort to improve their condition. However, many of the changes a person can make are unfortunately not very effective.
Although there are several treatment options available for cirrhosis, there is no known cure for this disease. However, in recent years, we have seen many scientists utilize umbilical cord tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells to treat patients who suffer from cirrhosis. The results so far have been favorable.
What are Umbilical Cord Tissue-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells?
Umbilical cord tissue is a rich source for mesenchymal stem cells. Umbilical cord tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells, or UCT-MSCs, are a type of multipotent stromal cell that have the ability to effectively differentiate into a variety of cell types, which are incredibly beneficial when it comes to combating various forms of inflammation, as well as regenerating damaged cells. Some of the cells that UCT-MSCs can differentiate into include:
- Chondrocytes (cartilage cells)
- Osteoblasts (bone cells)
- Myocytes (muscle cells)
- Adipocytes (fat cells)
In most cases, these cells are isolated from Wharton’s jelly, which is a gelatinous substance that protects the umbilical cord. These umbilical cord tissue-derived MSCs have many potential applications in regenerative medicine, such as when it comes to treating liver cirrhosis.
Using UC-MSCs to Treat Liver Cirrhosis
Over the years, there have been several studies published regarding the use of umbilical cord tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells to treat people who suffer from liver cirrhosis.
Studies have shown that transplanting UCT-MSCs into patients with liver cirrhosis can improve liver function and, incredibly, even reverse the progression of the disease. Additionally, UCT-MSCs may help to reduce portal hypertension, which is high blood pressure in the portal vein leading to the liver, and prevent hepatic encephalopathy, which is a type of brain damage that can occur due to liver failure). One study published in 2020 found that treatment with umbilical cord tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells was effective in achieving a better score on patients’ CDS, which measures the severity of cirrhosis of the liver. It also helped to greatly improve liver function in patients.
Many of the benefits associated with using these stem cells to treat liver cirrhosis are thanks to the exosomes, which carry proteins, lipids, and nucleic acid, which can alter the activity in targeted cells, thus improving the overall condition and decreasing the inflammation and progression associated with this chronic disease.
The hepatic differentiation potential associated with the umbilical cord tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells offers tremendous relief for patients who suffer from liver cirrhosis. These qualities in the stem cells help to fight oxidant activity and fibrotic activity within the damaged liver. Furthermore, it can help to reduce inflammation that patients experience.
The results surrounding the use of umbilical cord tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells for the treatment of liver cirrhosis could revolutionize the field. By harnessing their regenerative and anti-inflammatory capabilities, this form of cell therapy could provide a safe and effective method to lessen the impact of cirrhosis on patients.
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