Effect of Stem Cell Therapy on Bone Mineral Density: A Meta-Analysis of Preclinical Studies in Animal Models of Osteoporosis
Osteoporosis is a systemic disease that is characterized by continuous loss of bone mass and subsequent degeneration and deterioration of bone microarchitecture. Patients with osteoporosis are at a higher risk of bone fractures, and particularly among the elderly. The prevalence of osteoporosis is relatively high in both the developed and the developing countries. An estimated 200 million people worldwide are suffering from osteoporosis. Currently, the preventive and therapeutic strategies for patients with osteoporosis are based on the supplementation of calcium and vitamin D, use of pharmacological agents such as bisphosphonates. The clinical use of these medications has been limited by its potential to cause serious side effects, such as osteonecrosis of the jaw and atypical femoral fractures. Therefore, development of novel treatment strategies for osteoporosis is of great clinical significance.
Preclinical studies of the therapeutic role of stem cell based therapy in animal models of osteoporosis have largely yielded inconsistent results. 12 studies were selected which included 110 animals in stem cell treatment groups and 106 animals in control groups. These studies indicated that stem cell based treatment was associated with significantly improved BMD. Implantation of bone marrow cells, bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells, adipose-derived stem cells, and human umbilical cord blood-derived CD34+ cells, were all associated with improved BMD as compared to that in the control. The only exception was embryonic stem cell transplantation which did not improve BMD.
This study indicated that stem cell transplantation may improve BMD. This meta-analysis indicates a potential therapeutic role of stem cell-based therapy for osteoporosis and serves to augment the rationale for clinical studies. Currently, there are studies that are being conducted which assess the effect of stem cell transplantation on BMD.
