STEM CELL TRANSPLANTATION USING UMBILICAL CORD BLOOD FOR ISCHEMIC LIMB DISEASE ANIMAL MODEL AND BUERGER`S DISEASE PATIENTS

Abstract

STEM CELL TRANSPLANTATION USING UMBILICAL CORD BLOOD FOR ISCHEMIC LIMB DISEASE ANIMAL MODEL AND BUERGER`S DISEASE PATIENTS

PARK HK¹, Kim SW 2, HAN H2, Kang KS 3

¹Department of General Surgery, College of Medicine, Hanyang University, Seoul, Korea ² The Seoul Cord Bank, Histostem, Seoul, Korea 3Laboratory of Stem Cell and Tumor Biology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea

Buerger`s disease is characterized pathologically as a panangiitis of medium and small blood vessels including both arteries and adjacent veins, especially the distal extremity including digital, palmar, and plantar, and tibioperoneal arteries. In the present studies, we transplanted UCB stem cell into 4 men with Buerger`s disease who were already treated with medical and surgical therapies. They had been nearly in narcotic-addicted status in spite of all the previous treatments. HLA-matched UCB stem cells were transplanted in the affected areas, two upper and two lower extremities after informed consent. The results showed that ischemic rest pain was suddenly disappeared on their affected extremities from 2 to 14 day after transplantation. The necrotic skin lesions were healed within 4 weeks. Now, the patients stopped analgesics and have only vasodilatating drugs. In the follow-up angiography, digital capillaries were increased in number and size and the vascular resistance in their extremities, which were compared with the preoperative examination, were markedly decreased. Before we tried this treatment, we performed basic research to confirm our UCB stem cell`s potential. Our data lead us to conclude that our UCB-derived MSCs retain endothelial differentiation potential that is suitable for basic and clinical studies aiming at development of vasculature-directed regenerative medicine. To understand human results, we transplanted UCB stem cell to athymic nude mice with hindlimb ischemia by femoral artery ligation because the animal model of Buerger`s disease is absent. Capillary density in the ischemic hindlinb in the treated group was markedly improved compared with control and the rate of limb loss in the treated group was significantly reduced within one month. Therefore, it is suggested that UCB stem cell transplantation may be a useful therapeutic modality for Buerger`s disease and other similar ischemic limb diseases.