Hope for Arthritis Patients: How Stem Cells Are Repairing Joints

Arthritis is a Greek word which means inflammation of joints. So, it is a condition which impacts joints of the hand, ankles, hip, wrist, and knees resulting in difficulty in movement leading to stiffness. The other symptoms that associate with the affected joints are pain, swelling of the affected part, and redness.

According to WHO, globally around 18 million people have rheumatoid arthritis and women contribute around 70% of it. It mostly affects patients ≥55years old as these patients account for 55% of the total sufferers.

Osteoarthritis is different from rheumatoid arthritis in terms of autoimmunity. Rheumatoid arthritis, an autoimmune condition, results when the immune system fails to recognize and attacks the body’s own joints.

This blog focuses on providing insights on latest treatment strategies involved in treating arthritis and joint repair with stem cells. Above all, it also emphasizes the role and impact stem cell therapy has on patients suffering from joint pain.

Existing treatment alternatives

1: Non-pharmacological therapy: this therapy plays an important role in patients suffering from joint pain as movement and mobility are the cornerstones in arthritis. So, healthcare providers suggest engaging in light physical activity along with moderate exercise to maintain stability and mobility. Lastly, weight management is also crucial in joint pain patients.

2: Pharmacological therapy: the agents or drugs that are responsible for providing relief from symptoms associated with arthritis are:

• NSAIDs like acetaminophen provide relief from pain.
• SSRIs especially Duloxetine helps in improving functions and managing pain.
• Analgesic Capsaicin to provide analgesic effect.
• Glucosamine in combination with chondroitin to reduce swelling and pain in joints.
• Intra-articular steroids are also sometimes beneficial in providing relief.
• TNF-α inhibitors like adalimumab to exhibit reduction in symptoms of pain.

3: Braces support: the braces function is to help in immobilizing and aligning the part affected due to arthritis. It also helps in improving any dysfunction or deformity.

4: Surgical option: when other options do not combine to provide relief, then surgical options can be explored. The various surgeries in arthritis and joint pain could be arthroscopy, repair of cartilage and arthroplasty.

Impact of stem cell therapy in joint pain

The existing treatment options not only work to provide relief from symptoms but also work to improve functions that hinder in joint pain. They also pose a challenge as it has to be taken for a long period of time. So, there is a need to look beyond the existing treatment options and try new treatment strategies that not only improves symptoms but also help in repairing the damaged tissue or cartilage by exhibiting regenerative capacity.

Stem cell therapy has emerged as the novel treatment strategy that provides a ray of hope to the patients suffering from arthritis and joint pain. Stem cell therapy specializes in exploiting patient’s own cells for the treatment of arthritis. The process involves treating the damaged joint tissue with the derived stem cells. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) derived from bone marrow and adipose tissue promote regeneration and repair of damaged joint tissue and promote cartilage formation.

Mechanisms of healing in Arthritis patients

The cells that are significant for the purpose of regeneration are Mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) especially those from bone marrow and adipose tissue. The main mechanisms by which stem cells provide relief to patients suffering from joint pain are:

1. Process of chondrogenesis: the first step begins with differentiation of stem cells into chondrocytes. The function of chondrocytes is to support formation of cartilage by regenerating the damaged cartilage. 
2. Mechanism of paracrine signaling: Additionally, stem cells also release certain factors like cytokines and growth factors which result in repair of the damaged tissue, reduction in inflammation and promote angiogenesis.
3. Anti-inflammatory function: MSCs exert anti-inflammatory function by suppressing the release of molecules which cause inflammation and increase the release of molecules like TNF-α triggered TSG-6 which result in anti-inflammation.

Effects of stem cell therapy in arthritis patients

The various effects exhibited by stem cells in conditions like arthritis are:

1. Regeneration of cartilage: the major benefit seen after stem cell therapy is regeneration of cartilage which leads to increase in thickness and volume of the cartilage.
2. Depletion in pain: stem cells possess abilities to exhibit anti-inflammatory and regenerative function. Due to this ability, it leads to improvement in pain score after stem cell therapy.
3. Improvement in functions: the major improvements seen in patients suffering from joint pain are improvement in motion and movement of knee along with decrease in stiffness in the joints.
4. Slowing/retarding progress of disease: MSC also hinder the progress of disease and improves symptoms to provide relief from joint pain.

Exosomes role in joint pain

Exosomes play a crucial role in protecting the cartilage and joints from damage by exhibiting various functions. The functions are:

1. Exosomes increase levels of markers of chondrocyte like collagen and aggrecan.
2. It also limits the release of inflammatory molecules and inhibits macrophage activation.
3. Inhibits the process involving chondrocytes apoptosis.
4. Triggers the differentiation of chondrocytes.

All the above mechanisms lead to reduction in inflammation and increase in chondrocyte function i.e. help in cartilage formation.

Stem cells embedded in 3D biomaterial

In a study conducted in mice and present in the journal Chemical Engineering, researchers revealed that when the stem cells are embedded in a cryogel like material it decreases the requirement of high dosage of stem cells and results in slow release of stem cells. The benefit of such modification is that it ensures the stem cells remain intact within the joint for a much longer time.

What are the research insights on the latest invention Injectable goo?

The design and creation of injectable biomaterial goo by researchers, is known to repair the cartilage in the affected joints. The injectable goo is designed in such a way that once it is injected in the body, it releases a protein TGF-β1 which is responsible for promoting repair of cartilage. Additionally, the goo also consists of hyaluronic acid. Hyaluronic acid’s role is to aid the stem cells in cartilage formation.

Challenges of the stem cell therapy in arthritis

The various challenges that a clinicians encounters while utilizing stem cell therapy are:

1. Firstly, the presence of any condition like diabetes or being higher-weight might alter the differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells.
2. Then, instability in differentiation of chondrocyte and its effects.
3. Limited capability of replication and proliferation.
4. Above all, the requirement of highly skilled professionals to ensure the process is accurate.
5. Lastly, it also poses a financial burden on the patients.

Conclusion

The advancement of regenerative medicine for arthritis paves way for new treatment innovations in the field of orthopedics. Stem cell treatment for joint pain offers promising benefits. Therefore, mesenchymal stem cells offer advantages like regeneration of cartilage, decrease in inflammation and improvement in stiffness.

FAQ’s

Q: What is the definition of arthritis?

Arthritis means inflammation of joints. So, it is a condition which impacts joints of hand, ankles, hip, wrist, and knees resulting in difficulty in movement leading to stiffness. The other symptoms are pain, swelling of the affected part, and redness.

Q: How is rheumatoid arthritis different from its counterpart osteoarthritis?

Osteoarthritis is different from rheumatoid arthritis in terms of autoimmunity. Rheumatoid arthritis, an autoimmune condition, results when the immune system fails to recognize and attacks the body’s own joints.

Q: What role does exosomes play in arthritis?

Exosomes play a crucial role in protecting the cartilage and joints from damage by exhibiting various functions like limiting release of inflammatory molecules and inhibiting the process involving chondrocytes apoptosis.

Q: How does stem cell therapy treat joint pain?

Stem cell therapy initiates regeneration of chondrocytes which supports formation of cartilage, releases growth factors and cytokines and exhibits anti-inflammation.