Use of mesenchymal stem cells to treat liver fibrosis: Current situation and future prospects

Table 3 Clinical trials using mesenchymal stem cell to treat liver fibrosis

Cell source	Administration route	Number of cells infused	Patient population	Number of patients	Follow up period	Endpoints	Efficacy	Ref.
Umbilical cord	Intravenous	5 × 105/kg, 3 times	Chronic hepatitis B	30 treatment 15 control	1 yr	Safety/efficacy	Improvement of liver function and MELD score Reduced acites	[144]
Umbilical cord	Intravenous	5 × 105/kg, 3 times	Chronic hepatitis B	24 treatment 19 control	48 or 72 wk	Safety/efficacy	Improvement of liver function and MELD score Increased survival rates	[145]
Umbilical cord	Intravenous	5 × 105/kg, 3 times	Primary biliary cirrhosis	7	48 wk	Safety/efficacy	Decrease in serum alkaline phosphatase and γ-glutamyltransferase levels Alleviation of fatigue and pruritus Decrease of ascites	[146]
Bone marrow (autologous)	Intravenous	30 × 106/patient	3 cryptogenic 1 autoimmune hepatitis	4	1 yr	Safety/efficacy	Improvement of MELD score	[147]
Bone marrow (autologous)	Intravenous (peripheral vein or portal vein)	30 × 106-50 × 106/patient	4 chronic hepatitis B 1 chronic hepatitis C 1 alcoholic cirrhosis 2 cryptogenic	8	24 wk	Safety/efficacy	Improvement of liver function and MELD score	[148]
Bone marrow (autologous)	Hepatic artery	3,4 × 108/patient	Chronic hepatitis B	53 treatment 105 control	192 wk	Safety/efficacy	Improvement of Alb, TBIL, PT and MELD score	[149]
Bone marrow (autologous)	Intravenous	1 × 106/kg	Chronic hepatitis C	15 treatment 10 control	6 mo	Efficacy	Improvement of liver function and MELD score	[150]
Bone marrow (autologous)	Intrasplenic	10 × 106/patient	Chronic hepatitis C	20	6 mo	Safety/efficacy	Decrease od TBIL, AST, ALT, PT and INR Increase of the albumin levels	[151]
Bone marrow (autologous)	Hepatic artery	5 × 107/patient, twice	Alcoholic cirrhosis	12	12 wk	Efficacy	Histological improvements Improvement of Child-Pugh score Decrease of TGF-β1, collagen type 1 and α-SMA	[152]

MELD: Model for end-stage liver disease; Alb: Albumin; TBIL: Total bilirubin; PT: Prothrombin time; TGF-β: Transforming growth factor beta; α-SMA: Alpha-smooth muscle actin; AST: Aspartate aminotransferase; ALT: Alanine aminotransferase; INR: International normalised ratio.