Safety assessment of equine allogeneic tenogenic primed mesenchymal stem cells in horses with naturally occurring tendon and ligament injuries.
Authors: Carlier Stephanie, Depuydt Eva, Van Hecke Lore, Martens Ann, Saunders Jimmy, Spaas Jan H
Journal: Frontiers in veterinary science
Summary
# Editorial Summary Allogeneic mesenchymal stem cell therapy shows promise for equine tendon and ligament injuries, but clinical safety data remain limited. Researchers assessed both the immunological profile of tenogenic primed mesenchymal stem cells (tpMSCs) in vitro and the systemic safety of intralesional injections in client-owned horses: 14 horses underwent mixed lymphocyte reaction testing with their peripheral blood mononuclear cells exposed to tpMSCs, whilst 18 horses with superficial digital flexor tendon or suspensory ligament injuries received either intralesional tpMSC treatment (n=9) or no treatment (n=9). The cells demonstrated minimal immunogenicity and actively suppressed T lymphocyte proliferation in vitro (p<0.001), with intralesional treatment producing no abnormal changes in haematological or biochemical parameters, suggesting the allogeneic cells do not trigger clinically significant inflammatory responses. However, substantial limitations constrain interpretation: the treatment group lacked statistical analysis, fibrinogen was measured in only one pre-treatment horse, and both studies employed small sample sizes. Whilst these findings support the safety profile needed to progress tpMSC therapy towards clinical efficacy trials, practitioners should recognise that evidence for functional benefit remains absent, and larger, properly controlled studies are essential before recommending this approach as standard treatment for tendon and ligament injuries.
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Practical Takeaways
- •Allogeneic stem cell therapy appears immunologically safe for treating tendon and ligament injuries, with no adverse systemic effects detected
- •These cells can be used across different horses without immune rejection concerns, supporting wider clinical application
- •Safety profile supports further investigation of clinical efficacy, though larger controlled studies are needed to establish treatment effectiveness
Key Findings
- •Tenogenic primed allogeneic mesenchymal stem cells (tpMSCs) did not provoke cellular immune response in vitro (p<0.001)
- •tpMSCs demonstrated immunomodulatory capacity on stimulated T lymphocytes in vitro (p<0.001)
- •Intralesional tpMSC treatment produced no relevant hematologic or biochemical abnormalities in treated horses
- •tpMSCs did not elicit immune responses upon re-exposure in previously treated horses