Liver diseases such as cirrhosis and hepatitis affect 25 million people in the United States and represent the seventh most common cause of death in the United States. Liver transplantation can help some but there is an extreme shortage of transplantable organs. Although more than 18,000 people currently await liver transplantation in the United States, only 5,000 organs will be transplanted in the next year.
Stem cells offer promise both to people born with liver problems and to those who develop liver disease later in life. Those born with liver disease caused by a genetic error potentially could be treated by a relatively small amount of liver cells. These cells could relieve the symptoms of liver disease or the genetic error could potentially be corrected by gene therapy.
In cases of acute liver failure in adults, stem cell therapies might be used to support the liver for a period of time. If the therapy works, patients’ livers would gain time to recover. There are indications that some forms of viral hepatitis might be treated with stems cells as well.
Researchers at the U are exploring using stem cells in a liver-support device, repairing genes with liver stem cells, and infusing stem cells into liver portal veins. A team focusing on liver disease has made progress in the areas of liver support and gene repair. Some disease treatments may be limited to support but other diseases might be cured with stem cells. Applicable treatments are still five or more years in the future; at this time, there are no plans for human clinical trials.
The public can support progress by Stem Cell Institute researchers at the University of Minnesota by contributing to the institute’s fund at the Minnesota Medical Foundation.
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