How stem cells can cure rheumatoid arthritis

17/02/2016

You may have seen some of the latest developments around stem cells in the news recently, such as the stem cell transplant that has helped multiple sclerosis patients walk again. Some of the exciting discoveries made over the last few years have broken serious new ground in a way that will almost certainly surprise anyone who is not in the know when it comes to stem cell research.

Potential cures for diseases previously considered incurable, where treatment could only delay inevitable debilitation, have been found; as research into regenerative medicine really begins to pick up the pace we are seeing that many of these diseases can be cured or the symptoms dramatically improved using stem cells.

One of these is rheumatoid arthritis, an autoimmune disease characterised by persistent inflammation of the joints and synovial hyperplasia, which is the enlargement of tissue around the joints, such as cartilage. Left untreated, these afflictions can lead to bone and cartilage disintegration, leaving sufferers in incredible pain when trying to move.

Dental stem cells have long been heralded as the best provider of therapeutic treatment for long-standing diseases, with optimal capability to relieving pain and suffering. The particular type of stem cell derived from teeth for use with rheumatoid arthritis is derived from deciduous teeth, also known as baby teeth or milk teeth.

This is where it can get difficult to follow in terms of following exactly how the treatment works. Basically, secreted factors from these deciduous teeth are a type of lectin – a protein that can bind cell membranes – from ectodomains, which is where the membrane protrudes from the cell wall and into the extracellular space outside of it.

These lectins form a binding agent with the cell membrane, and this cell-on-cell interaction is able to reduce the inflammatory issues that plague those with rheumatoid arthritis.

The fact that this is possible only from deciduous teeth shows just how important it is to harvest them when baby teeth are falling out. If find out the options for your children, which are especially worth considering if you have a family history of autoimmune bone and joint problems like rheumatoid arthritis, get in touch with a tooth stem cell bank such as BioEden.

Unfortunately, the causes of rheumatoid arthritis are not yet fully understood, other than that the immune system mistakenly sends antibodies to the lining of joints that attack the tissue surrounding them. This causes the layer of cells – synovium – covering the joints to become sore and inflamed, causing chemicals to be released that thicken the synovium and damage nearby bones, cartilage, tendons and ligaments.

By utilising stem cells from baby teeth, it is possible to increase the level of production of cells that scavenge cell debris and produce anti-inflammatory chemicals fight rheumatoid arthritis. This is only a relative starting point despite how impressive it sounds, and the treatment is certain to be even more developed by the time your children are at an age when they could be affected.