A pooled analysis of mesenchymal stem cell-based therapy for liver disease

Liver disease is a major cause of death and disability. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) show promise for the treatment of liver disease. However, whether MSC-based therapy is more effective than conventional treatment is unclear, as are the optimal MSC source, the administration frequency, and the most effective MSC delivery route. We therefore undertook a systematic review and meta-analysis of the therapeutic efficacy of MSCs against liver disease and the related factors.

We systematically searched Medline (PubMed), Cochrane Library, EMBASE, ClinicalTrials.gov, and SinoMed CBM to identify studies published up to June 2017 involving liver disease patients receiving MSC-based therapy and which reported estimates of liver function during the follow-up period.

Thirty-nine studies were selected from 672 publications. According to a meta-analysis of 23 controlled studies, compared with conventional treatment MSC therapy significantly improves liver function in patients with liver disease in terms of the model of end-stage liver disease score, albumin, alanine aminotransferase, and total bilirubin levels, and prothrombin time, up to 6 months after administration. However, it has no beneficial effects in terms of prothrombin activity, international normalized ratio, or cholinesterase level. Considerable heterogeneity was identified at most time points. Subgroup analyses showed that a single MSC injection was more effective than multiple injections, MSC administration was more effective via the hepatic artery than the peripheral vein, and MSCs derived from bone marrow were more effective than those derived from the umbilical cord.

MSC-based therapy is relatively safe and improves liver function during the first 6 months after administration. A single injection administration via the hepatic artery and MSCs derived from bone marrow are optimal in terms of improving liver function. However the significant heterogeneity among studies and discontinuous results of the subgroup meta-analysis should be addressed; moreover the long-term efficacy of MSC therapy warrants further investigation.