Stem cell therapy in pain medicine

Abstract

Stem cells are attracting attention as a key element in future medicine, satisfying the desire to live a healthier life with the possibility that they can regenerate tissue damaged or degenerated by disease or aging. Stem cells are defined as undifferentiated cells that have the ability to replicate and differentiate themselves into various tissues cells. Stem cells, commonly encountered in clinical or preclinical stages, are largely classified into embryonic, adult, and induced pluripotent stem cells. Recently, stem cell transplantation has been frequently applied to the treatment of pain as an alternative or promising approach for the treatment of severe osteoarthritis, neuropathic pain, and intractable musculoskeletal pain which do not respond to conventional medicine. The main idea of applying stem cells to neuropathic pain is based on the ability of stem cells to release neurotrophic factors, along with providing a cellular source for replacing the injured neural cells, making them ideal candidates for modulating and possibly reversing intractable neuropathic pain. Even though various differentiation capacities of stem cells are reported, there is not enough knowledge and technique to control the differentiation into desired tissues in vivo. Even though the use of stem cells is still in the very early stages of clinical use and raises complicated ethical problems, the future of stem cells therapies is very bright with the help of accumulating evidence and technology.

WITHDRAWN: Intraarticular Injection of Different Doses of Mesenchymal Stem Cell Derived Exosomes Reduces ATF-3 Expression in the Dorsal Root Ganglion in Monoiodoacetate-Induced Rats of Osteoarthritis

“…Recently, mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs)have been widely applied to the treatment of pain as an alternative or promising treatment for severe osteoarthritis, neuropathic pain, and intractable musculoskeletal pain which are ineffective to traditional drugs [15]. In several preclinical studies, have confirmed that MSC have a role in neuroprotective and axonal growth stimulation in various models of nervous system injury [16,17], In a number of preclinical and clinical studies, intraarticular injections (IA) of MSCs can relieve pain and improve function [18].…”

Preemptive Stem Cells Ameliorate Neuropathic Pain in Rats: A Central Component of Preemptive Analgesia

“…Although categorized as chronic pain, neuropathic pain is regarded as a debilitating disease process (Fortino et al, 2013; Vadivelu et al, 2013). As the pathogenesis is very complicated, the treatment of neuropathic pain remains a challenge (Han et al, 2019). Growing evidence suggests that neuroinflammation originally serves to promote the healing of peripheral nerve injuries and diseases.…”

MicroRNA-547-5p-mediated interleukin-33/suppressor of tumorigenicity 2 signaling underlies the genesis and maintenance of neuropathic pain and is targeted by the therapy with bone marrow stromal cells

“…13 Interestingly, IL-33/ST2 may promote gut mucosal healing through increasing the expression of miRNA-320 in colitic mice during the recovery period, which facilitates the epithelial restitution and the inflammation resolution. 14 Recently, it has been documented that neuropathic pain induced by nerve injury can be relieved by delivering bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs) locally, intrathecally, or systematically (see reviews: Fortino et al, 15 Huh et al, 16 Han et al 17 ). However, detailed mechanisms underlying the genesis and maintenance of neuropathic pain, as well as its stem cell-based therapeutic intervention remained not entirely clear.…”

“…Recently, it has been documented that neuropathic pain induced by nerve injury can be relieved by delivering bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs) locally, intrathecally, or systematically (see reviews: Fortino et al., 15 Huh et al., 16 Han et al. 17 ). However, detailed mechanisms underlying the genesis and maintenance of neuropathic pain, as well as its stem cell-based therapeutic intervention remained not entirely clear.…”