Mesenchymal Stromal Cells: Emerging Treatment Option for Diabetic Wounds

The overwhelming rise in the incidence of diabetes worldwide has become a huge concern for both healthcare professionals of different specialties as well as for the patients. Long-term diabetic patients may develop diabetic foot ulcers which are often difficult to heal and can lead to limb amputation. Mesenchymal stromal cell (MSC) derived from various tissue sources has shown significant promise in cutaneous wound healing including diabetic foot ulcer (DFU). The mechanism of wound healing by MSC has largely been attributed to various cytokines and growth factors secreted by these cells delivered in the vicinity of the wounds. We have recently reported on the development and characterization of an allogeneic, pooled bone marrow-derived MSC product, Stempeucel®, which is safe and efficacious to administer in humans. Here, we present evidence that these cells produce several cytokines/growth factors that are important in healing diabetic wounds. More importantly, we demonstrate that administration of the pooled cells significantly enhances wound closure in diabetic mice and may be a prospective cell therapy product to initiate clinical trial in humans.