Stem cell-based therapy in patients with end stage liver disease (ESLD)

Introduction: End-stage liver disease (ESLD) is a life-threatening disease worldwide, and it is the irreversiblestage in patients with chronic liver disease. Despite liver transplantation being an effective treatment for endstageliver disease, the limited supply of donor's livers, Graft-versus-host disease (GvHD), and high associatedcosts have restricted its application. Therapies that can repair or regenerate the liver in the setting of persistentfibrosis and inflammation are needed to overcome these limitations. Preclinical and clinical trial studies haveindicated the effectiveness of stem cell-based therapy as a novel alternative therapeutic option for individualswith end-stage liver disease. This approach can be a "bridge to transplant" for these patients, offering apromising solution to their condition. The aim of this narrative review was to explore stem cell-based therapyin patients with end-stage liver disease.Methods: To conduct this narrative review, the following electronic databases were searched: PubMed, Webof Science, Cochran Library, and Google Scholar using the keywords "End-stage liver disease" and "stem celltherapy". We did not set any restrictions on time or language. We excluded case reports, preclinical studies, andreviews, and only clinical trial studies were included. After the screening process, six articles were selected.Results: Hematopoietic stem cells (HSC) and Mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) were the most common stemcells used in the studies. They were harvested from different sources such as peripheral blood, bone marrow, orumbilical cord. The infusion of either HSC or MSC was performed via the hepatic artery, portal vein, orperipheral vein to initiate the restoration of function of the impaired liver. Studies indicate a significantimprovement in patient's liver function tests and symptoms several months after stem cell infusion. None of thestudies reported any major side effects following the procedure.Conclusion: ESLD is an irreversible stage of liver injury, and transplantation is the only efficient treatmentapproach that has many limitations. Stem cell therapy is an innovative option and an effective treatment forpatients with ESLD. This approach can be a "bridge to transplant" for these patients, offering a promisingsolution to their condition. However, more clinical trials with larger sample sizes are needed to prove theefficacy of this approach.

کلیدواژه ها:

Stem cell ، Stem cell-based therapy ، End-stage liver disease