Mesenchymal stem cells in Parkinson’s disease: Motor and nonmotor symptoms in the early posttransplant period

Abstract

Background: Treatment of patients with Parkinson disease (PD) using autologous mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) is a promising method to influence the pathogenesis of the disease. The aim of this study was to assess the immediate results of the introduction of MSCs on the effectiveness of motor and nonmotor symptoms in patients with PD. Methods: MSCs were transplanted to 12 patients with PD through intravenous and tandem (intranasal + intravenous) injections. Effectiveness of the therapy was evaluated 1 and 3 months posttransplantation. Neurological examination of the intensity of motor symptoms was carried out in the morning after a 12 or 24 h break in taking antiparkinsonian drugs, then 1 h after they were taken. The intensity of motor symptoms was assessed with the help of Section III of the Unified PD Rating Scale of the International Society for Movement Disorders (UPDRS). The intensity of nonmotor symptoms was assessed with the help of the following scales: Hamilton Depression Rating Scale, the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, the Epworth Sleepiness Scale, Nonmotor Symptoms Scale, and the 39-item Parkinson’s Disease Questionnaire. Results: We found a statistically significant decrease in the severity of motor and nonmotor symptoms in the study group in the posttransplant period. Conclusion: Positive results allow us to consider MSCs transplantation as a disease-modifying therapeutic strategy in PD. However, this method of PD treatment is not a fully understood process, which requires additional studies and a longer follow-up period to monitor the patients’ condition posttransplantation.

The potential use of mesenchymal stem cells and their exosomes in Parkinson’s disease treatment

“…UPDRS was used to determine the severity of motor symptoms. In the post-transplant period, they discovered a statistically significant reduction in the severity of motor and nonmotor complaints in the study participants [ 76 ].…”

New idea to promote the clinical applications of stem cells or their extracellular vesicles in central nervous system disorders: Combining with intranasal delivery

“…In recent years, several clinical trials have used IN administration of stem cells or EVs to treat CNS diseases, including PD, stroke, and neonatal brain injury. Table 6 163 lists representative clinical trials of stem cells or EVs delivered by IN route in recent years.…”

MSCs vs. iPSCs: Potential in therapeutic applications

“…The next advantage is that it has pleiotropic effects such as trophic properties, anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory properties, antiapoptotic properties, and antimicrobial properties ( Merimi et al, 2021 ). Lastly, MSCs have been widely used in clinical applications such as the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases ( Boika et al, 2020 ), skin problems ( Shin et al, 2017 ), diabetes wound healing ( Nasiri et al, 2019 ), liver disorders (X. Yang et al, 2020 ), and cardiac ischemia ( Quevedo et al, 2009 ; Poomani et al, 2022 ).…”