Made to Measure: Patient-Tailored Treatment of Multiple Sclerosis Using Cell-Based Therapies

Abstract

Currently, there is still no cure for multiple sclerosis (MS), which is an autoimmune and neurodegenerative disease of the central nervous system. Treatment options predominantly consist of drugs that affect adaptive immunity and lead to a reduction of the inflammatory disease activity. A broad range of possible cell-based therapeutic options are being explored in the treatment of autoimmune diseases, including MS. This review aims to provide an overview of recent and future advances in the development of cell-based treatment options for the induction of tolerance in MS. Here, we will focus on haematopoietic stem cells, mesenchymal stromal cells, regulatory T cells and dendritic cells. We will also focus on less familiar cell types that are used in cell therapy, including B cells, natural killer cells and peripheral blood mononuclear cells. We will address key issues regarding the depicted therapies and highlight the major challenges that lie ahead to successfully reverse autoimmune diseases, such as MS, while minimising the side effects. Although cell-based therapies are well known and used in the treatment of several cancers, cell-based treatment options hold promise for the future treatment of autoimmune diseases in general, and MS in particular.

Are Cell-Based Therapies Safe and Effective in the Treatment of Neurodegenerative Diseases? A Systematic Review with Meta-Analysis

“…These trials showed encouraging efficacy results, underlining the need to conduct research into new therapeutic strategies to enhance the microenvironment, which is a crucial factor to successfully induce the regeneration process [ 126 , 127 ]. In addition, the inflammatory microenvironment which is often observed in MS and SCI is unfavourable for CNS repair and can be adapted by the administration of anti-inflammatory cells such as regulatory T cells, which are currently extensively tested in the clinic [ 128 , 129 , 130 ]. These cells can be easily engineered to overexpress neuroprotective factors such as neurotrophins, thereby improving their neuroregenerative and neuroprotective properties [ 131 , 132 ].…”

Human ESC‐derived immunity‐ and matrix‐ regulatory cells ameliorated white matter damage and vascular cognitive impairment in rats subjected to chronic cerebral hypoperfusion

“…Stem cell therapy has provided new hope for treatment of central nervous system (CNS) diseases 14–16 . In particular, mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have emerged as promising stem cell therapies due to their immune regulatory potential 17,18 . However, very few studies have evaluated the efficacy of MSCs for treatment of CCH induced by the 2VO approach 19 .…”

“…[14][15][16] In particular, mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have emerged as promising stem cell therapies due to their immune regulatory potential. 17,18 However, very few studies have evaluated the efficacy of MSCs for treatment of CCH induced by the 2VO approach. 19 Moreover, donor heterogeneity of primary MSCs is a major hurdle to clinical use.…”

Cryobanking of Human Distal Lung Epithelial Cells for Preservation of Their Phenotypic and Functional Characteristics

“…More applied applications of primary lung tissue samples include the development of epithelial culture models for optimization of either cell-or gene-based corrective therapies. Cell-based therapies have been adopted for diseases involving a variety of organs and cell types [19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26][27][28][29][30][31], and in combination with therapeutic gene correction of long-lived lung epithelial progenitors, may represent a plausible approach for monogenic lung diseases such as cystic fibrosis [32][33][34]. However, realization of stem cell-based therapeutic approaches for lung regenerative medicine will require development and validation of reproducible protocols allowing standardization and scalability, as has been demonstrated in other tissues [35][36][37][38].…”