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Cellular Therapies in Systemic Sclerosis: Recent Progress

Femke C C van Rhijn-Brouwer1, Hendrik Gremmels1, Joost O Fledderus1

  • 1Department of Nephrology and Hypertension, Division of Internal Medicine and Dermatology, University Medical Center Utrecht, P.O. Box 85500, 3508 GA, Utrecht, The Netherlands.

Current Rheumatology Reports
|March 5, 2016
PubMed

Insights

Systemic sclerosis (SSc) treatments are limited, but cellular therapies show promise. Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation is currently the only therapy demonstrating clinical benefits for SSc patients.

Area of Science:

  • Immunology
  • Rheumatology
  • Cellular Therapy

Background:

  • Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a rare, severe autoimmune disease with limited treatment options.
  • Despite advancements, high mortality and morbidity persist in SSc patients.
  • Cellular therapies have emerged as potential disease-modifying treatments.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To comprehensively review current cellular therapies for SSc.
  • To critically assess the therapeutic merit of these cellular therapies.
  • To identify future research directions for SSc cellular therapy.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of cellular therapies studied in SSc and other conditions.
  • Critical analysis of existing mechanistic studies and clinical trial data.
  • Assessment of cellular therapy impact on immune system, angiogenesis, and fibrosis.

Main Results:

  • Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) is the only cellular therapy with demonstrated clinical effects in SSc.
  • HSCT impacts the immune system, promotes neoangiogenesis, and reduces fibrosis.
  • Further research is needed to fully establish the role of cellular therapies in SSc.

Conclusions:

  • Cellular therapies, particularly HSCT, offer potential for treating SSc.
  • Robust mechanistic studies and clinical trials are crucial for advancing SSc cellular therapy.
  • Developing effective disease-modifying treatments for SSc remains a critical unmet need.
Keywords:
Cellular therapyDendritic cellsHematopoietic stem cell transplantationMesenchymal stromal cellsRegulatory T cellsSystemic sclerosis

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