The Use of Stem Cell Therapy to Reverse Opioid Tolerance

Fei Li; LiPing Liu; Kathleen Cheng; Zhongbo Chen; Jianguo Cheng

doi:10.1002/cpt.959

The Use of Stem Cell Therapy to Reverse Opioid Tolerance

Clin Pharmacol Ther. 2018 Jun;103(6):971-974. doi: 10.1002/cpt.959. Epub 2017 Dec 29.

Authors

Fei Li^{1

2}, LiPing Liu², Kathleen Cheng², Zhongbo Chen¹, Jianguo Cheng²

Affiliations

¹ Department of Pediatrics, Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, Shandong, China.
² Departments of Pain Management and Neurosciences, Lerner Research Institute and Anesthesiology Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio, USA.

PMID: 29285750
DOI: 10.1002/cpt.959

Abstract

Opioid tolerance (OT) and opioid-induced hyperalgesia (OIH) are major challenges in medicine. Here we report that transplantation of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) prevented and reversed OT and OIH in rats and mice. The preventive and therapeutic effects were long-lasting and consistent across different assessment schemes. Both intrathecal and intravenous transplantations were effective and safe. This emerging therapeutic strategy has thus shown promise to impact clinical practice and improve the efficacy and safety of opioid therapy.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

Analgesics, Opioid / pharmacology*
Animals
Cell- and Tissue-Based Therapy
Drug Tolerance / physiology*
Humans
Hyperalgesia / etiology*
Hyperalgesia / therapy*
Mesenchymal Stem Cell Transplantation / methods*
Mice
Rats

Substances

Analgesics, Opioid