Infusion of Porcine-Derived Amniotic Fluid Stem Cells for Treatment of Experimental Colitis in Mice.

Recently, stem cells have offered an alternative treatment for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) or colitis to overcome the poor outcomes associated with current therapies. Amniotic fluid-derived stem cells (AFSCs) have the potential for the regeneration of impaired organs and the recovery of normal physiologic functions of damaged tissues without ethical concerns or risk of tumor formation. In this work, we aimed to examine the therapeutic effects of infusion of porcine AFSCs (pAFSCs) in dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis in mice. Treatment with pAFSCs was shown to inhibit the shortening of the colon after induction of colitis and dramatically ameliorated the body weight-loss induced by the DSS treatment. In addition, pAFSCs could also reduce the extent of the inflamed area represented by epithelial mesenchymal transformation in the colitis mice. The levels of the inflammatory cytokines interleukin 6 (IL-6) and interferon gamma (IFN-gamma) were also reduced in colitis mice transplanted with pAFSCs. In conclusion, pAFSCs can ameliorate experimental colitis in mice, suggesting that they may be a potential treatment for IBD or colitis.