Stem Cells in Cats: A Promising Therapy for Treating Several Feline Diseases

The current and potential clinical applications of mesenchymal stem cell therapy in cats are explored in a study published in the *Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery*. Based on the immunomodulatory properties of feline stem cells, the clinical trials conducted by the two authors—from Ohio State University and the University of California, Davis (UC Davis)—demonstrate the potential of this new therapeutic strategy for treating conditions such as gingivostomatitis, chronic inflammatory bowel disease, asthma, and even renal failure. Stem cell-based regenerative therapy is recognized as a promising therapeutic option for treating numerous diseases in both humans and animals. The use of bone marrow-derived stem cells is particularly well established in the treatment of human cancers, and veterinary applications are currently being evaluated. As part of this U.S. study, which aims to evaluate the safety and efficacy of this innovative treatment, cats with chronic diseases (gingivostomatitis, renal failure, enteropathies, and asthma) were administered adipose-derived stem cells intravenously. These trials yielded encouraging results. The treatment was generally well tolerated, with few side effects, and in several cases led to a notable clinical improvement or even a cure. The only exception was the use of stem cells in the treatment of renal failure, where, despite a decrease in serum creatinine levels, there was no clinically significant improvement in kidney function. To date, none of the trials conducted in cats with CKD have replicated the positive results obtained in rodents. Other diseases, however, could benefit from the emergence of this new therapeutic strategy, such as feline osteoarthritis and cardiomyopathies. According to the two authors, mesenchymal stem cell therapy is a promising option for treating feline diseases, even though many questions remain to be resolved regarding treatment protocols: What is the most appropriate source of stem cells (allogeneic versus autologous, culture-expanded versus vascular-stromal fraction)? What is the optimal route of administration? What is the impact of the donor’s status (age, disease, sex) on stem cell function?, etc. Further research is underway to explore several of these aspects, with the aim of scientifically validating the promise of cell therapy in cats. * J.M. Quimby and D.L. Borjesson: Mesenchymal stem cell therapy in cats. Current knowledge and future potential, J. Feline Med. Surg. 2018, http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/1098612X18758590