Stem Cell Induction Successful in Small Trial of Living-Related Kidney Transplants

In recipients of a living-related donor kidney, induction therapy with autologous mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) led to a lower rate of acute rejection and quicker recovery of renal function compared with anti-interleukin (IL)-2 receptor antibody, but the results are preliminary, experts interviewed for this article cautioned. The fi ndings were published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (2012;307:1169-1177). “This is the fi rst time such a study like this has been done,” said Jonathan Bromberg, MD, PhD, Chief of the Division of Transplantation and Professor of Surgery and of Microbiology and Immunology at the University of Maryland, when asked to comment on the fi ndings in a phone interview.