Nearly 10 out of 100,000 children are at risk of developing autoimmune hepatitis (AIH). The disease affects the liver’s functions and decreases the patient’s lifespan considerably.
The number of patients suffering from autoimmune diseases is undetected. However, an estimation is made that nearly 200,000 Americans are annually affected by this condition.
The mortality rate for autoimmune hepatitis is high and 50 percent of patients with severe AIH can pass away between 6 months to 5 years after developing the disease.
AIH affects more females than males. Furthermore, up to 45 out of 100,000 adults can also develop autoimmune hepatitis.
The liver of the patient is severely affected by this type of disease.
Nevertheless, novel stem cell therapy brings hope for curing autoimmune hepatitis. Children and adults can be effectively treated with this holistic therapy.
In this blog, we will explore the risks related to AIH and the potential benefits of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) in healing patients from the deadly effects of the disease.
What are Autoimmune Diseases?
Autoimmune diseases occur when the body’s immune system attacks healthy cells and organs. More than 100 types of autoimmune diseases exist. Such diseases can harm any part of the body.
Skin problems, joint pain, fever, and abdominal problems are some of the common symptoms of varied autoimmune disorders. The failing immune system loses its ability to protect the body against internal and external dangers such as viruses or inflammation. Naturally, the body becomes weak and susceptible to several diseases.
A person with a family history of such diseases is prone to developing a similar condition. Furthermore, the age group of 15-44-year-old females has a higher risk of suffering from autoimmune disorders. Obesity, smoking, and environmental factors such as exposure to toxins and chemicals increase the possibility of these diseases.
Types of Autoimmune Diseases
Common autoimmune diseases are –
- Psoriasis – Dead cells are accumulated on the epidermal layer of the skin. It forms scaly and red patches on the site of the disease. This is a skin problem that causes rashes and itchiness. Additionally, it can trigger anxiety and impact the confidence of the individual.
- Lupus – A type of disease in which the immune system of the body attacks the healthy tissues. It can affect the heart, lungs, joints, brain, kidneys, and skin.
- Rheumatoid Arthritis – A chronic joint inflammation disorder leading to pain, swelling, and stiffness of the joints. The disease can destroy the healthy joint tissues and cells.
- Crohn’s Disease – A bowel disorder that affects the digestive tract of the patient and limits their digestive abilities. Inflammation in the gastrointestinal tract is the primary reason for this type of disease.
- Multiple Sclerosis – The myelin sheath covering the central nervous system is depleted due to the activities of the immune system. The nerve endings are left uncovered in this disease leading to a wide range of disabilities.
Overview of Autoimmune Hepatitis
Autoimmune hepatitis is an immunity-related disease that damages the liver. The immune system starts to attack the liver and causes tissue scarring, pain, and swelling. The functions of the organ are completely destroyed.
Untreated autoimmune hepatitis can lead to liver cirrhosis. The function of the immune system is to protect the body from infiltrating bacterial or viral infections. However, in this type of disease, the immune system severely damages the liver cells.
The levels of aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, immunoglobulins, anti-liver kidney microsomal type 1, and smooth muscle antibodies are detected in the serum of autoimmune hepatitis patients.
Cytotoxic T cells are autoantibodies that enhance the hepatic damage to autoimmune hepatitis patients. A liver transplant may be the only treatment option in this last stage of the disease.
Types of Autoimmune Hepatitis
There are 2 notable types of autoimmune hepatitis. These are –
- Type 1 – This disease affects anybody regardless of their age. It is caused due to the presence of anti-smooth muscle antibodies (ASMA) in the blood. Pain in the belly, jaundice, and loss of appetite are symptoms of type 1 autoimmune hepatitis. Most people suffering from this disease are also affected by other types of autoimmune disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis and ulcerative colitis.
- Type 2 – This is a rare form of AIH that mostly affects children due to the presence of hepatitis B, C, or D virus. Accumulation of fluid in the belly, dark urine, and rectal bleeding are common symptoms of type 2 autoimmune hepatitis.
Females, people with a genetic history of hepatitis, and patients with other types of autoimmune diseases have higher risks of developing autoimmune hepatitis.
Diagnosis
A single test is not enough to confirm the presence of autoimmune hepatitis. More than 1 blood tests and imaging tests are essential to detect AIH. Diagnosis methods include –
- Liver Biopsy – A tissue from the liver is extracted through medical equipment to detect the signs of autoimmune hepatitis.
- Blood Tests – Serum bilirubin and albumin are essential liver function tests to detect and confirm AIH.
- Imaging Tests – Tests such as ultrasound, MRIs, and CT scans help detect enlarged perihepatic lymph nodes which is one of the symptoms of autoimmune hepatitis.
- Endoscopy – A medical device is inserted within the body to check for swollen veins in the stomach or food pipe to confirm the presence of AIH.
Causes
The liver and immune system’s inability to perform its natural functions leads to AIH. However, broader causes of the disease include –
- Genetical factors – Genetic components such as non-HLA epitopes, vitamin D receptors, and CTLA-4 contribute to the development of AIH. If there is a family history of autoimmune hepatitis, patients are more likely to develop such a condition over their lifetime.
- External factors – Viruses and environmental factors such as pollutants, chemicals, and toxins can inhibit the function of the liver and damage the tissues and cells.
- Failure of the immune system – A patient’s immune system fails to protect the liver from infections and diseases and attacks the liver cells instead. The liver is significantly damaged.
- Autoimmune disorders – Hyperthyroidism, ulcerative colitis, and type 1 diabetes are some autoimmune diseases that increase the risk of autoimmune hepatitis.
- Hypergammaglobulinemia – The presence of excessive protein antibodies in the blood causes chronic infections that promote this rare type of blood disorder.
Symptoms
Some people exhibit few symptoms while other patients can highlight a variety of symptoms. However, here are some of the factors to determine if the patient is affected by type 1 or 2 autoimmune hepatitis –
- Discomfort in the belly
- Fatigue and energy loss
- Liver and spleen enlargement
- Pain in the joints
- Missed out menstrual cycles in females
- Disformed blood vessels
- Itchy feeling on the skin
- Nauseating feeling
- Digestion and bowel problems
- Fever
These symptoms may not be evident enough to confirm the presence of autoimmune hepatitis. Therefore, additional blood or imaging tests are necessary to detect AIH.
Complications
Autoimmune hepatitis can lead to liver cirrhosis that causes scarring of the liver tissues. Additional complications due to this disease are –
- The veins in the esophagus are enlarged. Due to this, the blood circulation to the liver is disrupted. Sometimes, the blood enters smaller veins that can rupture easily when they cannot take the pressure. This causes internal bleeding.
- Accumulation of ascites, a distinct fluid in the abdomen that hinders the normal breathing abilities of a person.
- Damaged liver tissues and cells lead to failure of the liver. A transplant surgery may be necessary in such an instance.
- Patients who have liver cirrhosis and autoimmune hepatitis are prone to developing life-threatening prostate cancer.
Read Also: Stem Cell Treatment for Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Patients
Role of Stem Cells in Autoimmune Hepatitis Treatment
Multipotent MSCs are derived from human umbilical cord tissues (Wharton’s Jelly). Mesenchymal stem cells can multiply into osteoblasts, chondrocytes, and adipocytes. The self-healing properties of MSCs regulate the behavior of the different immune cells. In this instance, it is used to reverse the effects of the immune system on the liver.
The inhibition of lymphocytes and its effects is an MSC feature that prevents the onset of liver damage. It helps to improve the tolerance of the immune system.
Additionally, these cells promote the proliferation of tolerogenic T regulatory cells. The T cells are essential to improve the self-tolerance of the peripherals.
MSCs activate the immunosuppressive activities in the inflamed cells and tissues. The ability of mesenchymal stem cells to communicate with macrophages, natural killer cells, neutrophils, dendritic cells, and mast cells promotes the immune system’s tolerance. Stem cell therapy can prevent autoimmune diseases in the future.
Tissue regeneration is an invaluable property of MSCs that makes it a popular treatment choice for patients.
Research on stem cell therapy for autoimmune hepatitis highlights therapeutic effects.
Furthermore, stem cell treatment for autoimmune hepatitis is a minimally invasive method compared to liver transplant surgeries. Patients are injected doses of stem cells in an intravenous (IV), intra-articular, and intramuscular methods.
MSCs can not only transform into other types of cells and tissues but also migrate to different areas of the body regardless of the administration site.
Benefits of Using Stem Cells to Cure Autoimmune Hepatitis
Here are some attractive results of stem cell therapy for autoimmune hepatitis patients –
- Reduces the rate of mortality
- Improves the functions of the liver
- Reforms liver tissues and cells
- Prevents the escalation of the disease that could lead to cirrhosis or cancer
- Prevents the immune system from attacking the liver
- Stops hepatocyte apoptosis
- Regulates the level of antioxidants
- Adopts anti-inflammatory phenotypes
The stage of the disease determines the treatment benefits. At an early stage, stem cell therapy is highly beneficial in stopping, reversing, and preventing autoimmune hepatitis from transforming into a more serious disease.
Read Also: Stem Cell Therapy vs. Surgery: How To Pick The Right Treatment?
Takeaway
If you are looking for a holistic and minimally invasive treatment that offers a long-term cure, stem cell therapy is the appropriate option.
The Life Altering Stem Cell Therapy Institute in Mexico is a renowned clinic treating more than 20 conditions with MSCs.
A happy and healthy liver automatically improves the health condition of a patient. Do not let autoimmune hepatitis cause further complications in your life. Talk to our experts and address the diseases before they become life-threatening.
