Development of a Functional Biomarker for Use in Cell-Based Therapy Studies in Seropositive Rheumatoid Arthritis.

Unlabelled: Cell-based therapy has potential therapeutic value in autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA). In RA, reduction of disease activity has been associated with improvement in the function of regulatory T cells (Treg) and attenuated responses of proinflammatory effector T cells (Teff). Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and related multipotent adult progenitor cells (MAPC) have strong anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory properties and may be able to "reset" the immune system to a pre-RA state.

Suppression of IL-7-dependent Effector T-cell Expansion by Multipotent Adult Progenitor Cells and PGE2.

T-cell depletion therapy is used to prevent acute allograft rejection, treat autoimmunity and create space for bone marrow or hematopoietic cell transplantation. The evolved response to T-cell loss is a transient increase in IL-7 that drives compensatory homeostatic proliferation (HP) of mature T cells. Paradoxically, the exaggerated form of this process that occurs following lymphodepletion expands effector T-cells, often causing loss of immunological tolerance that results in rapid graft rejection, autoimmunity, and exacerbated graft-versus-host disease (GVHD).

Multipotent adult progenitor cells decrease cold ischemic injury in ex vivo perfused human lungs: an initial pilot and feasibility study.

Background: Primary graft dysfunction (PGD) is a significant cause of early morbidity and mortality following lung transplantation. Improved organ preservation techniques will decrease ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) contributing to PGD. Adult bone marrow-derived adherent stem cells, including mesenchymal stromal (stem) cells (MSCs) and multipotent adult progenitor cells (MAPCs), have potent anti-inflammatory actions, and we thus postulated that intratracheal MAPC administration during donor lung processing would decrease IRI.