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Stem cell treatments could hold the key to slowing ageing and preventing diseases like cardiovascular disease and autoimmune disorders. This innovative approach, based on mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), has shown potential to reduce inflammation and promote healing in the body, according to Professor Katarina le Blanc, a leading expert in stem cell research at the Karolinska Institutet.
Le Blanc's work focuses on how MSCs, which can transform into different cell types, help regulate the immune system. Her research revealed that these cells activate a natural anti-inflammatory signal in the body, dampening chronic inflammation linked to ageing, diabetes, heart disease, and more. MSC injections could also prevent severe conditions like graft-versus-host disease, a dangerous complication following stem cell transplants.
The treatment has shown no side effects, but until recently, its high cost limited widespread use. To address this, le Blanc founded Cellcolabs, a biotech company aiming to mass-produce affordable, high-quality stem cells. While early results are promising, research continues to understand why only about 50% of patients respond to this therapy, with hopes of identifying those most likely to benefit.
