What is Rheumatoid Arthritis?

Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic autoimmune disorder in which the immunity system of the body attacks its own protective layers of the joint. Also, RA affects the vascular, bone, metabolic, and psychological factors of the body.

Additionally, RA can cause further complications like cardiac issues, pulmonary diseases, and renal damage.

Symptoms of RA –

• Joint pain and stiffness
• Inflammation of the joint
• Weight and appetite loss
• Fever and sweating

The immune system of RA patients attacks its own protective joint layers. Moreover, people with higher variations of genetic factors such as human leukocyte antigen have more probability of developing this condition.

Causes of RA –

• Individuals of any age can suffer from RA
• Women suffer from rheumatoid arthritis more than man
• Smoking increases the risk of RA
• Overweight people have higher chances of suffering from RA

What is Lung Fibrosis?

Lung fibrosis is a chronic disease of the lungs or the pulmonary tracts. It falls under the bracket of COPD and reduces your breathing abilities. The respiratory tract cells and tissues are collaterally damaged. The tissues thicken over time and limit the functions of the heart.

More than 200,000 US citizens live with lung fibrosis and it is one of the leading causes of mortality rate.

This condition is more prevalent in men than women and affects people within the age group of 50-70 years.

Signs of lung fibrosis –

• Short breath during activities
• Dry and persistent cough
• Weight loss and tiredness
• Loss of appetite
• Clubbing of feet
• Joint and muscle pain

Causes of lung fibrosis –

• Radiation treatment
• Exposure to harmful chemicals and toxins
• Prevalent autoimmune diseases
• Affinity to inflammation
• Smoking
• Genetics
• Age

What is COPD?

COPD causes inflammation in the lungs, blocks the respiratory tracts, and causes a wide range of pulmonary sub-diseases like asthma and bronchitis.

Inflammation in the air tracts or the respiratory passage blocks the free flow of air and oxygen to the lungs. This causes suffocation. The air sacs in the lungs that help to breathe in and out are also damaged due to COPD.

It eliminates the elastic abilities of the air sacs and leads to long-term breathing problems.

Signs of COPD are –

• Running out of breath
• Wheezing sounds while breathing
• Congestion in the chest
• Too much mucus secretion
• Recurrent cough
• Infections in the respiratory tracts
• Low energy levels
• Swelling of the feet
• Cyanosis or bluish lips

Leading COPD causes –

• Inflamed and thickened airway walls
• Lost elasticity of the air sacs in the lungs
• Damage to the air sac walls
• More mucus in the airway blocking airflow
• Air pollution and environmental toxins causing breathlessness

MSCs for COPD are self-healing treatments for the lungs and related tissues for improved air, oxygen, and blood circulation.

Importance of Embryonic Stem Mesenchymal Stromal Cells in Reducing Inflammation

Mesenchymal stem cells are cultured from Wharton’s Jelly found in the umbilical cord of healthy newborn babies. These are tested and sourced in the laboratory and differentiated from human embryonic stem-cell derived-MSCs in vitro. It helps to regenerate T-cells rapidly and offers protection against cell infiltration.

Collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) models have been tested with hESC-MSCs in an intravenous administration method to successfully reduce inflammation conditions. Moreover, it improves the protection of T cells against infiltration and promotes activation. The CIA model is the most preferred model for treating humans with RA. This is a widely accepted model due to the local and immunological similarities of RA in humans.

Similarly, a bleomycin-induced lung fibrosis model was treated with hESC-mesenchymal stromal cells in an intravenous (IV) approach. MSC treatment eliminates the root causes and underlying symptoms of lung fibrosis.

The therapeutic results of MSCs are undeniable, creating a new avenue for holistic and surgery-free treatment.

Apart from reducing inflammation, the regenerative and immunomodulatory properties of MSCs make it a popular choice for treating a wide range of diseases and injuries.

Benefits of Stem Cell Treatment

Mesenchymal stem cell treatment offers a wide range of benefits against inflammation and related symptoms. MSCs can reverse the effects of RA and lung fibrosis and provide long-term relief from the disastrous effects of these diseases. Results from clinical trials highlight significant development in the condition of patients suffering from inflammation related to RA and lung fibrosis. In a broader spectrum, let us explore the benefits of MSCs in reducing inflammation further –

• Increases regulatory T cells
• Decreases inflammatory Th1 cells
• Decreases pro-inflammatory cytokines like interferon, interleukin, and IL17
• Increases anti-inflammatory cytokines like growth factor-beta and interleukin 10
• Abundant supply of stem cells
• Eliminates the chances of cell rejection
• MSCs have high regenerative abilities compared to other types of stem cells
• Rapid repair and quick results
• Toxin-free MSCs
• Minimally-invasive technique compared to painful surgeries
• Regeneration of lung tissues and blood vessels to clear the air pathway for free breathing
• Stem cells can split into protective membranes and connective tissues
• Removes carbon dioxide and circulates oxygen in the air tracts

What is Lung Disease or Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disorder?

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is a group of lung disorders that inhibit the lung’s functional abilities, resulting in shortness of breath, coughing, and fatigue. COPD damages the airways or other specific regions in the lungs, blocking airflow and causing difficulty breathing.

In people with COPD, the lungs get clogged and damaged due to increased mucus formation in the airways and inflammation in the bronchi walls. Experts believe excessive smoking and long-term exposure to pollutants and airborne irritants are two primary reasons for COPD.

Role of Stem Cell Therapy for Lung Diseases

Lung disease, or COPD, is a prevalent health issue with a rapid rise in cases in the post-pandemic era. Currently, there is no definitive cure for lung diseases; however, with healthy habits like quitting smoking, exercising regularly, and maintaining a proper diet, one can manage the symptoms of COPD.

Multiple studies on stem cells have recently demonstrated their effectiveness in reducing lung inflammation and improving its functional capacity to breathe air in and out. Stem cell administration in the infected lung prevents further damage to lung cells and promotes the growth of healthy cells to replace the damaged cells.

Where do stem cells for lung treatment come from?

The adult human body is a rich source of stem cells as they exist in various organs and tissues such as bone marrow, adipose or fat tissue, liver, skin, and even teeth. Apart from adult stem cells, mesenchymal stem cells isolated from the human umbilical cord tissue are another great source of pluripotent stem cells.

Clinicians are studying stem cells’ therapeutic potential in treating COPD, primarily focusing on human umbilical cord tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells (HUCT-MSCs) because of their abundance of supply and ease of collection.

HUCT-MSCs are ideal for stem cell therapy for COPD because these are pluripotent cells, meaning they can turn into any cell type and regrow cells to heal the diseased area. They can transform into lung, heart, nerve, blood, bone, skin, and cartilage cells.

Benefits of Stem Cell Therapy for COPD

The path for choosing cell-based therapy has become more desirable for patients with COPD and other chronic lung diseases because existing treatment protocols are expensive and complicated, such as lung transplant or ventilation.

On the contrary, stem cell treatment is a less invasive and cost-effective solution, making it a preferable alternative for patients. The therapeutic benefits that cellular therapies for lung diseases offer are discussed below:

• Reduces inflammation – The stem cells are rich in anti-inflammatory properties, which help reduce the inflamed bronchi walls and clear the airways for breathing.
• Immune system regulation – HUCT-MSCs heal damaged lung tissues by modulating immune responses and preparing a healthy environment for tissue repair and regeneration.
• Promotes angiogenesis – The new stem cells that enter your body through the therapy promote the growth of new blood vessels, which better transport oxygen to and from the lungs to the circulatory system.
• Improves breathing – Stem cells differentiate into lung cells and multiply to develop connective tissues and membranes forming the air sac lining. Healthy air sacs support healthy breathing by efficiently circulating oxygen and removing carbon dioxide while breathing out.

Besides, stem cell therapies aim to provide long-lasting outcomes, and patients can see a sooner reduction in their primary symptoms, such as lung inflammation and shortness of breath. However, the body can take three to six months to achieve peak improvement post-therapy.

Cautions on Stem Cell Therapy for Lung Disease

Despite the promising potential of regenerative medicine for lung diseases, several risks still exist. Firstly, in cases where stem cells are collected from a patient’s body, it carries a risk of reintroducing diseased or damaged cells. Secondly, if cells are taken from a donor, there is no guarantee that the patient’s body will accept the cells. There is always a chance of cell rejection. The donor must undergo several blood examinations and HLA matching to ensure genetic compatibility. Still, no 100% matching is guaranteed.

The best way to avoid such risks is to get stem cell therapy from centers that utilize human umbilical cord tissue-derived stem cells. These cells are isolated from the cord blood following healthy births and have high proliferation capabilities and differentiation potential.

Current Status and Future of Stem Cells for Lung Diseases

Several research studies examine stem cell treatments for lung problems and chronic disorders. Among the multiple areas of studies, the most promising topic focuses on the efficacy of stem cells in treating chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD) and pulmonary fibrosis.

In COPD, stem cell therapy using umbilical cord tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells is safe and reliable. It improves lung function, reduces inflammation, and slows disease progression. Studies have also found that cell-based therapy enhances the quality of life for COPD patients.

Various clinical research is studying new ways to understand how lungs work and how to treat lung diseases. Scientists are especially interested in cells called endothelial progenitor cells and mesenchymal stem cells. They’re testing these cells in clinical trials for conditions like pulmonary hypertension and COPD, and they’re planning more studies to learn even more.