Affiliation:
1. Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University (Zhejiang Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine), Hangzhou, China
2. Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, Wenzhou Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine affiliated to Zhejiang Chinese Medicine University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
Abstract
Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a multi-organ and systemic autoimmune disease characterized by an imbalance of humoral and cellular immunity. The efficacy and side effects of traditional glucocorticoid and immunosuppressant therapy remain controversial. Recent studies have revealed abnormalities in mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) in SLE, leading to the application of bone marrow-derived MSCs (BM-MSCs) transplantation technique for SLE treatment. However, autologous transplantation using BM-MSCs from SLE patients has shown suboptimal efficacy due to their dysfunction, while allogeneic mesenchymal stem cell transplantation (MSCT) still faces challenges, such as donor degeneration, genetic instability, and immune rejection. Therefore, exploring new sources of stem cells is crucial for overcoming these limitations in clinical applications. Human amniotic epithelial stem cells (hAESCs), derived from the eighth-day blastocyst, possess strong characteristics including good differentiation potential, immune tolerance with low antigen-presenting ability, and unique immune properties. Hence, hAESCs hold great promise for the treatment of not only SLE but also other autoimmune diseases.
Funder
the seventh installment of the National Traditional Chinese Medicine Experts Academic Experience Inheritance Project
the Health Science and Technology Project of Zhejiang Province
the Traditional Chinese Medical Science and Technology Project of Zhejiang Province