Review Article

Mesenchymal Stem Cells (MSCs): A Novel Therapy for Type 2 Diabetes

Table 2

Summary of clinical trials using MSCs to treat patients with T2DM.

Year/sample sizeMSC sourcesMSC dose (cells)InterventionsOutcome measurementsReferences/NCT number

2008
BM-SCsUnknownIntrapancreatic injectionFasting glucose, HbA1c, and insulin requirements decreased; fasting C-peptide and C-peptide/glucose ratio increasedEstrada et al. [38]
2014
Autologous BM-SCs cells/kgIntrapancreatic injectionThe insulin requirement decreased; HbA1c increased modestly and nonsignificantly; glucagon-stimulated C-peptide increased significantlyBhansali et al. [41]
2016
WJ-MSCs cells/kgTwo intravenous infusions, with a one-month intervalNo serious adverse reactions; improvements in C-peptide and insulin dosage in the MSC groupHu et al. [42]
2011
Allogeneic HP-MSCs cells/kgThree intravenous infusions of PDSCs, with a one-month intervalNo acute adverse events, average insulin dosage, C-peptide, and HbA1c improved after treatmentJiang et al. [16]
2010
Allogeneic WJ-MSCs cells/kgInfused into the peripheral vein on day 5; delivered directly to the pancreas via he splenic artery using endovascular catheters on day 10Fever, subcutaneous hematoma, and headache were observed; mild improvement in HbA1c, insulin dosage, and fasting C-peptide; markers of systemic inflammation were decreasedLiu et al. [40]
2014
UC-MSCs cells/kgUC-MSCs were intravenously transfused three times. All patients were followed up in the first, third, and sixth monthsFBG and PBG were significantly reduced; plasma C-peptide levels and regulatory T cell numbers were numerically higherKong et al. [43]
2014
BM-MNCs cells/kgPancreatic artery infusion in 10 minNo acute adverse events; the area under the curve of C-peptide was significantly improvedWu et al. [44]
2015
Allogeneic BM-MSCs0.3- cells/kgSubjects were randomized to receive one of the following three rexlemestrocel-L doses or placebo in a 3 : 1 ratio using a sequential, escalating dose cohort paradigmNo acute adverse events; HbA1c was reduced at all time points after week 1Skyler et al. [45]
2016
Allogeneic BM-MSCs150- cells/kgTreatment was administered by intravenous infusion on day 0 following baseline assessments; two sequential dose cohorts, to receive rexlemestrocel-L or placebo; study duration was 60 weeksNo acute adverse events; improved eGFR and mGFR at week 12Packham et al. [46]
2016
UC-MSCs cells/kgThe hUC-MSCs were transplanted by infusing cells/kg via the pancreatic artery directed on day 1, followed by infusing cells/kg through the peripheral vein on days 8, 15, and 22ΔCP30/ΔG30 and AUCCP180 increased; FPG, 2hPG, HbA1c, and HOMA-IR reducedLi et al. [39]
2017
Autologous BM-MSCs and autologous BM-MNCsMSCs: cells/kg; MNCs: 109 per patientIntrapancreatic infusionSignificant reduction in insulin requirement; significant increase in the second-phase C-peptide response and insulin sensitivity indexBhansali et al. [47]
August 2010
BM-MSCsUnknownBM-MSCs are transplanted through the pancreatic artery percutaneously on day 0; BM-MSCs are transplanted intravenously on days 7 and 14UnknownNCT01142050
January 2011
Autologous BM-MNCs
Autologous BM-MSCs
UnknownThree groups treated with BM-MSCs, BM-MNCs, and insulinUnknownNCT01719640
January 2013
UC-MSCsIntravenous/infusion treatmentUnknownUnknownNCT02302599
September 2015

Recruiting
Injectable collagen scaffold with hUC-MSCs intracavernous injectionIntracavernous injection of an injectable collagen scaffold combined with 15 million hUC-MSCs; intracavernous injection of 15 million hUC-MSCsUnknownNCT02745808
November 2017
Autologous BM-MSCsUnknownPancreatic artery infusionUnknownNCT03343782
April 2019

Recruiting
Autologous BM-MNCs and allogeneic UC-MSCsUC-MSC: 1- cells/kg intravenous infusionUnknownUnknownNCT03943940
November 2019

Recruiting
hUC-MSCs cells/kg peripheral intravenous infusionUnknownUnknownNCT04216849

Abbreviations: BM-SCs: bone marrow stem cells; WJ-MSCs: Wharton’s jelly-derived mesenchymal stem cells; UC-MSCs: umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells; BM-MNCs: bone marrow mononuclear cells; BM-MSCs: bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells; HP-MSCs: hypoxia preconditioned mesenchymal stem cells; PDSCs: placenta-derived stem cells; FBG: fasting blood glucose; PBG: postprandial blood glucose; eGFR: estimated glomerular filtration rate; mGFR: measured glomerular filtration rate; 2hPG: postload glucose; FPG: fasting plasma glucose; AUCCP180: amount of C-peptide secretion function; HbA1c: hemoglobin A1c; HOMA: homeostatic model assessment; IR: insulin resistance.