Sepsis (popularly known as “blood infection”) is an acute reaction of the immune system to an infection, which leads to dysfunction of internal organs. Therefore, sepsis is an extremely serious pathological condition that is life-threatening. Sepsis is usually caused by bacterial infections, but viral, parasitic, and fungal infections can also cause this dangerous systemic complication. The issue of prevention of sepsis is especially relevant during wounds on the battlefield during wars, polytrauma.
Since the anti-infective and anti-inflammatory therapy of sepsis is not always effective, scientists are working on the development of new methods of treatment of this complication. In April 2024, the scientific journal Stem Cells Translational Medicine published a meta-analysis by Christine Hum et al. on the use of the umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells in the treatment of sepsis.
Mesenchymal stem cells of the umbilical cord tissue have an immunomodulating, anti-inflammatory and regenerative effect. They are able to modulate the course of pathophysiological processes underlying the development of sepsis.
The authors analyzed 26 scientific papers. As it turned out, the umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells are widely used in the treatment of septic complications, but so far in preclinical experimental studies. However, it is already known that mesenchymal stem cells reduce kidney, liver, and lung dysfunction caused by sepsis. Mesenchymal stem cells also reduce the manifestations of coagulopathy, i.e. disorders of blood coagulation processes and endothelial permeability of blood vessels, helped to cleanse the body of infectious pathogens.
Based on: Christine Hum et al. Stem Cells Translational Medicine, April 2024. https://academic.oup.com/stcltm/article/13/4/346/7612019
In Ukraine, the Institute of Cell Therapy has developed a method of treating acute pancreatitis/pancreonecrosis using mononuclear cells of umbilical cord blood and umbilical cord tissue, the effectiveness is confirmed by the results of a clinical trial https://parentsguidecordblood.org/en/news/novel-treatment-pancreonecrosis-using-cord-blood -and-cord-tissue
Also, the Institute of Cell Therapy, state institution “Institute of Epidemiology and Infectious Diseases n.a. L.V. Gromashevsky” of the National Academy of Medical Sciences of Ukraine and Kyiv City Clinical Hospital No. 4 have developed and clinically tested a method of treating acute respiratory distress syndrome in COVID-19 using mesenchymal stem cells of the umbilical cord and placenta.
