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Currently, the only effective therapy for cirrhosis of the liver is liver transplantation. However, finding a compatible liver is difficult due to the low supply of healthy livers and the ever-increasing demand. However, stem-cell therapy may offer a solution for liver cirrhosis; for example, GXHPC1 therapy preparation contains adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (AD-MSCs) and was developed for the treatment of liver cirrhosis. In our previous report, animal studies suggested that treatment of a diseased liver via GXHPC1 transplantation can abrogate liver fibrosis and facilitate recovery of liver function. In our current human trial, patients with liver cirrhosis were included. Their adipose tissue was harvested from the subcutaneous fat of the abdominal wall during surgery. AD-MSCs were cultured and suspended at a concentration of 100 million cells in 1 ml of physiological saline (i.e., GXHPC1). This human study passed the Taiwan Food and Drug Administration IND inspection and received Phase I clinical trial permission. The trial was conducted with six patients with liver cirrhosis to demonstrate the safety and efficacy of administering GXHPC1. Intrahepatic injection of GXHPC1 did not cause any safety issues in the analysis of adverse drug reactions and suspected unexpected serious adverse reactions, and showed a tendency for improvement of liver function, METAVIR score, Child-Pugh score, MELD score, and quality of life for patients with liver cirrhosis.

Currently, there is not an effective therapy for cirrhosis of the liver except for liver transplant. However, finding a compatible liver is difficult due to the low supply and increased demand for healthy livers. Stem cell therapy may be a solution for liver cirrhosis. In our previous report, stem cells from Wharton's jelly and bone marrow were shown to improve liver function in a chemically induced liver fibrosis animal model. However, the immunological rejection of an allograft is always a risk for clinical application. In this study proposal, we suggest using human adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs) because they are an immune-privileged cell type; they lack human leukocyte antigen-DR expression, and they also suppress the proliferation of activated allogenic lymphocytes and inhibit the production of inflammatory cytokines. In addition, ADSCs contain a sufficient amount of adult stem cells for autologous transplantation. Based on these benefits, ADSCs are promising candidates for clinical application when compared to other stem cell types. The aim of our study will be to investigate the safety and efficacy of autologous ADSCs for the clinical treatment of liver cirrhosis.

Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) is a form of early onset diabetes mellitus characterized by the autoimmune destruction of insulin-producing cells (IPCs), resulting in hyperglycemia and abnormal glucose metabolism. There are currently no treatments available capable of completely curing the symptoms associated with the loss or functional defects of IPCs. Nonetheless, stem cell therapy has demonstrated considerable promise in the replacement of IPCs with immunomodulatory functions to overcome the defects caused by T1DM. Adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs) are particularly suitable for use in cell transplantation therapy, especially when seeking to avoid the ethical issues and tumorigenic complications commonly associated with embryos or induced pluripotent stem cells. Cell-based treatments have demonstrated therapeutic advantages and clinical applicability of ADSCs in T1DM, ensuring their suitability for transplantation therapy. This manuscript focuses on the benefits and possible mechanisms in a T1DM-relevant model and displays positive results from finished or ongoing human clinical trials. We also discuss and hypothesize potential methods to further enhance the therapeutic efficacy of these efforts, such as a humanized rodent model and gene therapies for IPC clusters, to meet the clinical applicability of the standard.

Adipose tissue-derived stem cells (ADSCs) have two essential characteristics with regard to regenerative medicine: the convenient and efficient generation of large numbers of multipotent cells and in vitro proliferation without a loss of stemness. The implementation of clinical trials has prompted widespread concern regarding safety issues and has shifted research toward the therapeutic efficacy of stem cells in dealing with neural degeneration in cases such as stroke, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, Huntington's disease, cavernous nerve injury, and traumatic brain injury. Most existing studies have reported that cell therapies may be able to replenish lost cells and promote neuronal regeneration, protect neuronal survival, and play a role in overcoming permanent paralysis and loss of sensation and the recovery of neurological function. The mechanisms involved in determining therapeutic capacity remain largely unknown; however, this concept can still be classified in a methodical manner by citing current evidence. Possible mechanisms include the following: 1) the promotion of angiogenesis, 2) the induction of neuronal differentiation and neurogenesis, 3) reductions in reactive gliosis, 4) the inhibition of apoptosis, 5) the expression of neurotrophic factors, 6) immunomodulatory function, and 7) facilitating neuronal integration. In this study, several human clinical trials using ADSCs for neuronal disorders were investigated. It is suggested that ADSCs are one of the choices among various stem cells for translating into clinical application in the near future.