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Anat Cell Biol 2024; 57(3): 333-345
Published online September 30, 2024
https://doi.org/10.5115/acb.24.082
Copyright © Korean Association of ANATOMISTS.
Transplantation of human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells optimized with IFN-γ is a potential procedure for modification of motor impairment in multiple sclerosis cases: a preclinical systematic review and meta-analysis study
Mohamad Mahdi Esmaeili Araghi1 
, Amir Abdolmaleki2 , Hadi Esmaeili Gouvarchin Ghaleh3 , Bahman Jalali Kondori4,5 , Akbar Ghorbani Alvanegh6 , Mehrdad Moosazadeh Moghaddam7 , Seyed Javad Hosseini Nejad Anbaran8
1Students Research Committee, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, 2Department of Operating Room, Nahavand School of Allied Medical Sciences, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, 3Applied Virology Research Center, Biomedicine Technologies Institute, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, 4Baqiyatallah Research Center for Gastroenterology and Liver Diseases (BRCGL), Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, 5Faculty of Medicine, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, 6Human Genetics Research Center, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, 7Applied Biotechnology Research Center, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, 8Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Correspondence to:Seyed Javad Hosseini Nejad Anbaran
Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran 1531765115, Iran
E-mail: seyedjavadhosseininejadanbaran@gmail.com
This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/) which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Abstract
Stem cells transplantation (SCT) is known as a newfound strategy for multiple sclerosis (MS) treatment. Human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (hUCMSCs) contain various regenerative features. Experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) is a laboratory model of MS. This meta-analysis study was conducted to assess the overall therapeutic effects of hUCMSCs on reduction of clinical score (CS) and restoration of active movement in EAE-induced animals. For comprehensive searching (in various English and Persian databases until May 1, 2024), the main keywords of “Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis”, “Multiple Sclerosis”, “Human”, “Umbilical Cord”, “Mesenchymal”, and “Stem Cell” were hired. Collected data were transferred to the citation manager software (EndNote x8) and duplicate papers were merged. Primary and secondary screenings were applied (according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria) and eligible studies were prepared for data collection. CS of two phases of peak and recovery of EAE were extracted as the difference in means and various analyses including heterogeneity, publication bias, funnel plot, and sensitivity index were reported. Meta-analysis was applied by CMA software (v.2), P<0.05 was considered a significant level, and the confidence interval (CI) was determined 95% (95% CI). Six eligible high-quality (approved by ARRIVE checklist) papers were gathered. The difference in means of peak and recovery phases were –0.775 (–1.325 to –0.225; P=0.006; I2=90.417%) and –1.230 (–1.759 to –0.700; P<0.001; I2=93.402%), respectively. The overall therapeutic effects of SCT of hUCMSCs on the EAE cases was –1.011 (95% CI=–1.392 to –0.629; P=0.001). hUCMSCs transplantation through the intravenous route to the animal MS model (EAE) seems a considerably effective procedure for the alleviation of motor defects in both phases of peak and recovery.
Keywords: Umbilical cord, Mesenchymal stem cell, Cell therapy, Transplantation, Multiple sclerosis
Graphical Abstract
The human umbilical cord was prepared after labor. The Wharton’s jelly as the main source of stem cells was extracted and the associated cells were cultured. Following obtaining the proper cell confluence, the cellular content was used for transplantation (1). In parallel, the C57/BL6 mice were used for induction of EAE through immunization using MOG35-55 injection (2). Finally, the hUCMSCs were injected to the EAE-affected mice by various protocols like the cerebroventricular approach. In this stage, the CS showed a decremented trend representing restoration of motor defect (3). EAE, experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis; hUCMSCs, human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells; MOG, myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein; CS, clinical score.
