Clinical research advances in mesenchymal stem cells for the treatment of end-stage liver disease / 临床肝胆病杂志

ABSTRACT

End-stage liver disease (ESLD) includes decompensated liver cirrhosis and liver failure, which usually have dangerous conditions and a poor prognosis. Liver transplantation is the only effective therapy for ESLD, but its clinical application is limited due to shortage of liver donors, immunological rejection, and expensive costs. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) can differentiate into hepatocyte-like cells and alleviate liver fibrosis by regulating immune function through paracrine, and therefore, MSCs have a wide application prospect in the field of ESLD treatment. A number of clinical studies have shown that MSC infusion is safe and effective in the treatment of ESLD during a short period of time, and there is also certain clinical evidence for its long-term safety and efficacy. MSC-derived exosomes (MSC-Exo) do not have a complete cellular structure and can promote hepatocyte regeneration through a variety of mechanisms, and their clinical value has attracted more and more attention, but there are few studies on this issue. Currently, the core mechanism of MSC therapy for ESLD and the standardized process of MSC preparation are the problems needing to be solved urgently.