Wharton’s jelly-derived mesenchymal stem cells in the treatment of four patients with alopecia areata

Abstract

Background. Alopecia areata (AA) is the second most common cause of non-scarring alopecia. Little is known on the etiopathogenesis of AA. It is considered an autoimmune disease, with T lymphocytes and antibodies directed against hair follicle structures. Topical and systemic therapies are used for the treatment of AA, but none of the therapies used to date have a permanent therapeutic effect.Objectives. To evaluate the efficacy and safety of AA treatment through a single intradermal injection of a suspension of allogeneic MSCs extracted from Wharton's jelly (WJ-MSCs) into the alopecia foci. Materials and methods.The study involved 4 AA patients who underwent experimental therapy with a suspension of WJ-MSCs. The AA intensity was measured using the SALT score. This measure was performed 3 times during treatment: 1 st measure (SALT 0 ) prior to treatment; 2 nd measure (SALT 12 ) 12 weeks after the treatment; and 3 rd measure (SALT 24 ) 24 weeks after the treatment. Furthermore, during each follow-up visit (6, 12, 18, and 24 weeks after the administration of WJ-MSCs) the patient's general condition (physical examination) and local condition were assessed, their mood was evaluated, and a photo of the scalp was taken.Results. Hair regrowth was observed in all patients by an average of 67% at the sites where the cell suspension was administered. In all cases, we observed greater dynamics of hair regrowth in the first 3 months after the treatment, with an average increase of 52.2%, compared to the following 3 months, with an average of 32%.Conclusions. The results of the applied intradermal injections of an allogeneic WJ-MSC suspension were positive with hair growth observed in all participants and the therapy was found to be safe, with no side effects.

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