Intestinal fibrosis is a major complication of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), yet treatment options remain limited. A study published in the Journal of Crohn’s and Colitis evaluated the effects of tonsil-derived mesenchymal stem cells (TMSCs) and TMSC-induced intestinal stem cell-like cells (T-ISCs) in two murine colitis models. The study focused on how these stem cells affect both fibrosis and inflammation.
Two colitis models were used: a dinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (DNBS) model, which mimics chronic intestinal fibrosis, and a dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) model, which primarily induces inflammation and is often used to study ulcerative colitis. Mice were treated with TMSCs or T-ISCs, and outcomes were assessed based on disease severity, colon length, fibrosis markers, and inflammatory cytokine levels.
Results showed that in the DNBS model, both TMSCs and T-ISCs improved disease activity and colon length, but TMSCs had a more pronounced effect on fibrosis reduction. Specifically, TMSCs significantly decreased the expression of COL1A1, Vimentin, and TGF-β, key markers associated with fibrosis. Histological and protein analyses confirmed these findings, indicating that TMSCs may help mitigate fibrotic progression.
In contrast, in the DSS model, both treatments reduced inflammatory cytokines, with T-ISCs showing a notable decrease in IL-1β and IL-6. These results suggest that TMSCs primarily target fibrosis, while T-ISCs may have a stronger anti-inflammatory effect in conditions such as ulcerative colitis.
These findings highlight the potential role of TMSC-based therapies in managing both fibrosis and inflammation in IBD, including ulcerative colitis.
