Human Amnion Epithelial Cell Therapy for Chronic Liver Disease

Abstract

Liver fibrosis is a common consequence of chronic liver disease. Over time, liver fibrosis can develop into liver cirrhosis. Current therapies for liver fibrosis are limited, and liver transplant is the only curative therapy for patients who progress to end-stage disease. A potential approach to treat chronic liver disease with increasing interest is cell-based therapy. Among the multiple cell types which have been proposed for therapeutic uses, human amnion epithelial cells and amniotic fluid-derived mesenchymal cells are promising. These cells are highly abundant, and their use poses no ethical concern. Furthermore, they exert potent anti-inflammatory and antifibrotic effects in animal models of liver injury. This review highlights the therapeutic characteristics and discusses how human amnion epithelial cells can be utilised as a therapeutic tool for chronic liver disease.

Therapeutic Effects of Human Amniotic Epithelial Stem Cells in a Transgenic Mouse Model of Alzheimer’s Disease

“…It has also been reported that hAESCs can promote liver regeneration by reducing hepatic inflammation and fibrosis. These cells secrete growth factors that promote hepatocyte proliferation, exert antifibrotic actions, and induce extracellular matrix degradation, all of which have been implicated in hAESC-induced liver regeneration [20]. In the central nervous system, hAESCs promote neural cell survival and regeneration, repair damaged neurons, and reconstruct impaired neural networks [24,25].…”

“…They are almost entirely free from ethical and legal considerations [10,14,16]. In previous studies, hAESCs have been differentiated into neurons, glial cells, cardiomyocytes, and hepatocytes [8,10,[16][17][18][19][20]. In particular, recent studies have suggested that hAESCs are a promising candidate for the treatment of neurological diseases [18,21].…”

Human Amniotic Epithelial Stem Cells: A Promising Seed Cell for Clinical Applications

“…Based on their plasticity and immunomodulatory properties, hAESCs have been considered for treatment of a broad variety of conditions, including lung fibrosis [ 40 , 115 , 131 , 149 , 151 , 152 , 153 , 154 ], spinal cord injuries [ 60 ], Parkinson’s disease [ 64 ], Alzheimer’s disease [ 155 ], diabetes [ 69 ], wound healing [ 147 , 148 , 156 ], liver fibrosis [ 75 , 157 , 158 , 159 ], autoimmune uveitis [ 135 ], Hashimoto’s thyroiditis and systemic lupus erythematosus [ 134 ], and intrauterine adhesions [ 160 , 161 , 162 ]. Among these preclinical trials involving hAESCs, autoimmune diseases make up a large proportion, presumably because of the tremendous effect of immunomodulation.…”

Bilaminar Technique with Coronally Advanced Flap and Cryopreserved Human Amniotic Membrane in the Treatment of Gingival Recessions

“…This tissue is widely used in different clinical applications such as treatment of skin burns and prevention of tissue adhesion in surgery of the head, neck, abdomen, genitourinary tract and larynx, ocular surface reconstruction, and wound healing [ 8 ] for its properties. HAM has various characteristics; it has antimicrobial [ 9 ] and anti-inflammatory functions [ 10 ], combined with immunological, antiangiogenic properties [ 8 ]. Moreover, it promotes epithelialization [ 11 ] making it ideal in the oral and periodontal field [ 12 ].…”