Combining acupuncture and mesenchymal stem cell therapy offers promise as a treatment for inflammatory bowel disease

Abstract

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a persistent gastrointestinal ailment driven by a range of immunological and pathophysiological factors, and often exposes patients to persistent pain and a greater risk of tumor development. In clinical settings, sulfasalazine is among the most common treatments used to manage IBD, but such treatment can result in a range of side effects in addition to leading to relatively poor efficacy. In certain refractory cases, patients must undergo surgical resection of affected tissues, underscoring the need to devise safer and more efficacious forms of alternative treatment. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have recently been shown to exhibit been shown to exhibit robust immunomodulatory activity and potential for differentiation such that they may be an effective tool for treating IBD. Acupuncture has also shown promise as an efficacious treatment option for IBD, performing better than drug-based treatments in certain clinical trials. Acupuncture is capable of enhancing endogenous MSC proliferation and homing, enabling these cells to more effectively migrate toward target lesion sites and to promote tissue repair. In light of these findings, this review was formulated to survey the potential therapeutic advantages of combining MSCs and acupuncture when attempting to treat IBD.

Keywords: Acupuncture; Mesenchymal stem cell; Inflammatory bowel disease; Anti-inflammatory; Oxidative stress

Core Tip: This paper analyzes and summarizes previous studies and suggests that acupuncture combined with stem cell transplantation may be more effective than monotherapy in the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease and ensure safety. A systematic description of the possible mechanisms of action is provided to support the feasibility of this method.