Liver Research (Sep 2017)

Mesenchymal stem cells for treatment of steroid-resistant acute rejection after liver transplantation

  • Yingcai Zhang,
  • Shihui Li,
  • Guoying Wang,
  • Yanwen Peng,
  • Qi Zhang,
  • Hua Li,
  • Jian Zhang,
  • Genshu Wang,
  • Shuhong Yi,
  • Xiaoyong Chen,
  • Andy Peng Xiang,
  • Yang Yang,
  • Guihua Chen

Journal volume & issue
Vol. 1, no. 2
pp. 140 – 145

Abstract

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A patient with steroid-resistant acute rejection 50 days after ABO-compatible orthotopic liver transplantation (LT) received regular infusion of allogeneic mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) after three sessions of steroid pulse therapy which failed to control the pathogenetic condition as shown by biopsy. Liver function improved gradually after intravenous injection of MSCs once weekly for 10 weeks (as confirmed by biopsy) and remained stable under administration of conventional immunosuppressive agents. There was no evidence of neoplasms 5 years after treatment. MSCs infusion appears to successfully reverse resistance to immunosuppressive agents and may be a useful treatment for post-liver transplant steroid-resistant rejection. Keywords: Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), Liver transplantation (LT), Steroid-resistant acute rejection, Immunoregulation