Human adipose-derived stromal/stem cells: a novel approach to inhibiting acute pancreatitis

Acute pancreatitis, a common necroinflammatory disease of the pancreas, remains an unsolved problem that is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Intra-acinar cell activation of digestion enzymes triggers the events of acute pancreatitis and stimulates the production of inflammatory cytokines. Finally, inflammatory cytokines trigger inflammatory cascades that lead to systemic inflammatory response syndrome, multi-organ failure, or death. Therefore, proposing a novel strategy for acute pancreatitis would be greatly valuable. Research on adult stem cells has achieved a great deal of progress related to the repair and regeneration of tissues and organs. Human adipose-derived stromal/stem cells become a crucial model to study diseases and develop novel therapeutic applications, as these cells are plentiful, easier to obtain, and require less-invasive procedures. Accumulated data suggest human adipose-derived stromal/stem cells would be a valuable tool for cell-based therapy for inflammatory disease, autoimmune disease, tissue repair, and ischemic insults by controlling cell death, immune response, inflammation, and tissue regeneration. Thus, it is reasonable to hypothesize that human adipose-derived stromal/stem cells would be a novel approach to inhibiting inflammation and reducing acute pancreatitis.