陽明大學與台北榮總發表合作研究的成果，利用老鼠模式，發現人類臍帶血間葉幹細胞(uMSC)能改善因紅斑性狼瘡引起的腎發炎(Lupus nephritis；LN)，進而延長壽命，這項發現已發表在[細胞移植]期刊。

參與此項研究的陽明大學醫學院李光申博士表示，間葉幹細胞具有免疫調節的能力，藉由活化與不活化特定的T淋巴球，能降低發炎前激素的表現(IFN-r、IL-2)，並增加抗發炎激素的表現(IL-4、IL-10)，整體達到抑制發炎的作用。因此移植人類uMSC於帶有狼瘡細胞的老鼠身上，觀察到腎臟發炎程度減緩、蛋白尿延遲出現與自體抗體(anti-dsDNA)減少的現象。

進一步比較不同年齡的老鼠移植uMSC後成效，發現移植2月大的老鼠效果比6個月大好，意指間葉幹細胞治療紅斑性狼瘡較適用於年紀輕的病患。另外，研究人員也發現，異體間葉幹細胞移植效果比自體移植好，因為紅斑性狼瘡為自體免疫疾病，異體移植能避免自體抗體的存在。

未來，臍帶血間葉幹細胞治療紅斑性狼瘡將進入人體試驗，科學家想探討配對不相合的異體移植是否也能具有療效，希望能造福許多紅斑性狼瘡患者。

Study Of Umbilical Cord Blood-Derived Stem Cells For Lupus Therapy

Human umbilical cord blood-derived mensenchymal stem cells (uMSCs) have been found to offer benefits for treating lupus nephritis (LN) when transplanted into mouse models of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). SLE is an autoimmune disease with "myriad immune system aberrations" characterized by diverse clinical conditions, including LN, a leading cause of morbidity and mortality for patients with SLE.

The beneficial results were reported in a study by Taiwanese researchers published in the current issue of Cell Transplantation.

According to corresponding author Dr. Oscar K. Lee of the National Yang-Ming University School of Medicine, MSCs have been shown to possess immune-modulatory capabilities and can alleviate immune responses by inhibiting inflammation as well as the function of mature and immature immune system T cells. Seeking to explore the therapeutic effects of uMSCs in treating LN, their study transplanted umbilical cord blood-derived stem cells into mice modeled with systemic immune diseases closely resembling SLE in humans.

"We found that uMSC transplantation markedly delayed the deterioration of renal function, reduced certain antibody levels, alleviated changes in renal pathology and the development of proteinuria - the presence of excess protein serum in the urine and a sign of renal damage," said Dr. Lee.

The positive difference in survival rate for mice treated at two months of age compared with mice treated at six months of age, led the researchers to conclude that early uMSC transplantation may be most efficacious. The researchers also deduced that their findings favored the use of allogenic (other-donated) rather than autologous (self-donated) MSCs for SLE treatment, which would make sense with an autoimmune disorder.

"The therapeutic effects demonstrated in this pre-clinical study support further exploration of the possibility of using uMSCs from mismatched donors in LN treatment," concluded Dr. Lee.

Citation:
Chang, J-W.; Hung , S-P.; Wu, H-H.; Wu, W-M.; Yang, A-H.; Tsai, H-L.; Yang, L-Y.; Lee, O. K. Therapeutic Effects of Umbilical Cord Blood-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cell Transplantation in Experimental Lupus Nephritis. Cell Transplant. 20(2):245-257; 2011.