Aging puzzle: A closer look on the complex dilemma of autologous stem cell therapy

Abstract

Regenerative medicine is a promising therapeutic avenue for previously incurable diseases. As the risk of chronic and degenerative diseases significantly increases with age, the elderly population represents a major cohort for stem cell-based therapies. However, the regenerative potential of stem cells significantly decreases with advanced age and deteriorating health status of the donor. Therefore, the efficacy of autologous stem cell therapy is significantly compromised in older patients. To overcome these limitations, alternative strategies have been used to restore the age- and disease-depleted function of stem cells. These methods aim to restore the therapeutic efficacy of aged stem cells for autologous use. This article explores the effect of donor age and health status on the regenerative potential of stem cells. It further highlights the limitations of stem cell-based therapy for autologous treatment in the elderly. A comprehensive insight into the potential strategies to address the “age” and “disease” compromised regenerative potential of autologous stem cells is also presented. The information provided here serves as a valuable resource for physicians and patients for optimization of stem cell-based autologous therapy for aged patients.

Keywords: Regenerative medicine; Autologous stem cell therapy; Regenerative potential; Aging; Donor age; Optimizing therapy; Aged patients

Core Tip: Stem cell-based therapies, particularly autologous stem cell therapy, hold strong promise for treating age-related degenerative diseases by reducing the risk of immune rejection and graft-vs-host disease. However, the therapeutic efficacy of patient-derived stem cells is often compromised by aging and disease-related decline in their regenerative capacity. To address these limitations, several strategies have been developed, including hypoxic preconditioning, genetic modification, growth factor supplementation, three-dimensional culturing, hybrid approaches, use of bioactive compounds, mesenchymal stem cell-derived exosomes, targeted activation of signaling pathways and cryopreservation of youthful stem cells. These approaches aim to restore or preserve stem cell functionality, enhancing therapeutic outcomes in elderly patients.