Stem cell therapy for Rheumatoid Arthritis

When you’re diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), it’s essential to seek treatments that delay the damage. RA is an autoimmune disease that affects your joints. Other body systems, like skin, lungs, eyes, and blood vessels, can also be affected.

Like other arthritic diseases, RA causes immune cells to mount a reaction in the joint. Rheumatoid arthritis affects the lining of your joints which creates joint inflammation, swelling and pain. These symptoms can lead to bone erosion, joint deformity, loss of mobility and disability.

RA, as a joint disease, can be difficult to treat. Promising therapies are on the horizon, however, like pluripotent stem cell treatment. The therapeutic effect of these whole body regenerative stem cells in autoimmune conditions is showing promise. At Stemaid Institute, we seen very positive clinical outcomes in conditions involving immune dysregulation. The therapeutic potential of pluripotent stem cells

Before you decide on a course of therapy, like stem cell treatment, identify your RA's symptoms and verify its progression. Then, work with your doctor to determine the best options for your personalized health.

What are the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis?

The initial symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis may seem minor. Tender or swollen joints, early morning stiffness, or stiffness after inactivity are common. Other early RA signs might be flu-like: fever, fatigue, or loss of appetite.

As the disease worsens, it moves out from smaller joints, such as those in the feet and hands. RA typically spreads to larger joints - wrists, ankles, knees, hips, elbows, and shoulders. RA affects the same joints on both sides of the body.

For approximately 40% of RA sufferers, there are more symptoms.Other areas sometimes affected include skin, eyes, lungs, heart, kidneys, and blood vessels.

People affected by rheumatoid arthritis may experience “flare-ups.” During these times, the disease is active and painful. Periods of remission may follow when symptoms wane or disappear for a short time.

What are early and ongoing treatments for rheumatoid arthritis?

Treatments for rheumatoid arthritis vary depending on individual patient symptoms and severity. One of the most common symptoms of RA is inflammation. Often treatment starts with anti-inflammatory drugs. These work with the immune cells and the cytokines to ease the aggravation. They are the first line antirheumatic drugs.

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as Advil, Motrin, and Aleve treat early symptoms. Later, corticosteroids, like prednisone, can combat more severe inflammation.

One popular treatment isdisease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugsorDMARDs. DMARDs can slow the progression of rheumatoid arthritis. They can also help prevent permanent joint damage. Biologic response modifiers, such as Humira and Orencia, blocktumor necrosis factor (TNF). They also decrease inflammation in the body. When paired with a conventional DMARD, biologic DMARDs are more effective.

Other traditional treatments include occupational therapy. Occupational therapists (OTs) help RA patients learn exercises that keep joints flexible. OTs can also help find alternative methods for daily tasks and chores. Assistive devices might also be helpful. An occupational therapist can help to locate devices best suited to each patient.

How to Treat Rheumatoid Arthritis When Other Methods Fail

When traditional therapies are not effective, surgery may be an option. Surgery choices may include a synovectomy. This surgery removes the inflamed joint lining to reduce pain and increase mobility.

The tendons of RA patients can rupture or loosen due to inflammation (cascade of proinflammatory cytokines), synovial tissue and overall joint damage. There are surgical options to repair these injuries. Joint replacement is an option for restoring joints that are no longer functional. Joint fusion can stabilize a joint that cannot be repaired by joint replacement.

There are evolving options for RA treatment, including exciting new stem cell therapies. These therapies treat rheumatoid arthritis differently than more conventional methods with encouraging results.

How do stem cells treat rheumatoid arthritis?

There are different types of cells used in treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. MSC-based therapies use mesenchymal stem cells (human adipose tissue stem cells, umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells, bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells, autologous and allogeneic mesenchymal stem cells). Patients with rheumatoid arthritis usually receive these to start with since they are available in most regenerative medicine clinics treating autoimmune arthritis.

All stem cells (human adipose tissue stem cells, umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells, bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells, autologous and allogeneic mesenchymal stem cells, autologous and allogeneic pluripotent stem cells) secrete exosomes. These are small vesicles full of reparative peptides and transcription factors that signal repair and regeneration in every tissue they reach. The contents of stem cell exosomes have immunomodulatory properties and also provide immunosuppressive effects in inflamed joints. The also contain growth factors and reparative factors that help repair the damage done to the inflamed joints.

What are pluripotent stem cells?

Pluripotent stem cells applied in regenerative medicine programs at the Stemaid Institute come from a tissue line grown from the inner cell mass of the blastocyst. 5 days after fertilization. The inner cell mass contains all the information to repair all 220+ tissue types of the body. Pluripotent stem cells are the most comprehensive of all stem cell types, in their tissue reach and repair.

How do pluripotent stem cells help RA symptoms?

Intravenous administration of the pluripotent stem cells allows reparative factors to reach all areas of the body, including inflamed joints. The systemic administration is key.

In every tissue they secrete exosomes that target the reparative needs of the area. Analysis of the content of pluripotent exosomes, Plurisomes, reveals presence of a wide range of soluble factors, transcription factors - proteins, peptides, growth factors, systemic factors that have immunomodulatory properties, immunosuppressive properties, factors that repair nerve damage (neurotrophic factors, especially important in neurological disorders), factors that grow more blood vessels in the areas (angiogenic) , autophagy-related proteins that clear senescence (senolytic), telomore elongating factors, DNA repair factors, collagen and elastin supporting factors and so on.

In inflammatory arthritis like RA, the runaway pro-inflammatory cytokines need quenching. Synovial inflammation is an early sign of more damage coming. Early application of pluripotent factors eases the fire in the synovial fluid. The contents of the stem cell exosomes reduce chronic inflammation by up-regulating anti-inflammatory cytokines (anti-inflammatory properties)and regulate the immune environment of the inflamed joints via their immunosuppressive effects and their immunomodulatory effects.

In addition, this joint disease causes a lot of degenerative changes in the inflamed joints. Systemic administration of the pluripotent stem cells allows not only quenching of the pro-inflammatory cytokines, but also metabolic changes to take place that reverse oxidative stress and degeneration in all tissues. In addition, growth factors and other bone remodeling factors allow repair in the joints locally. This is also partially the case in MSC-based therapies.

The soluble factors in exosomes approach this joint disease also from a reprogramming angle. Unlike mesenchymal stem cells, the pluripotent stem cells contain unique miRNA and mRNA that have a rejuvenative and therapeutic effects on cells and tissues. The epigenetic state of healthy cell is DNA repaired, telomeres elongated, protein folding correctly, mitochondria aplenty pumping out ample ATP, and overall well regulated cellular homeostasis. Cells in rheumatoid arthritis do not have this healthy epigenetic phenotype (character). Active rheumatoid arthritis has an aging effect on the cell.

How does Stemaid Institute approach RA?

The most effective treatment approach for Rheumatoid arthritis is systemic. This means treating the whole person, addressing inflammation and degeneration in all systems and tissues in the body, as well as targeting the inflamed joints. Pluripotent stem cells and their soluble factors coming from their unique exosomes. Plurisomes, have potent potential to put RA in disease remission.

We use functional medicine, integrative medicine and biological medicine approach to this joint disease. Our uniqueness is in our production and use of pluripotent stem cells and Plurisomes. These repair, rejuvenate, and reprogram tissue back to a healthier biological state. The result is whole body health. The therapeutic potential of this approach to RA and other inflammatory disorders is significant.

Are there any adverse effects?

Pluripotent embryonic stem cells are safe when administered by trained medical staff and sourced from a high-caliber reputable laboratory. Our clinic has seen no serious adverse events in over a decade of pluripotent stem cell therapy.

The only risk during administration of IVs we have found in over 15 years of clinical experience is mild hypoglycemia upon administration. The stem cells use glucose for their physiological activity. We mitigate this risk by making sure patients have had a meal before injection and are well hydrated.