A new trial conducted at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine is researching the use of Mesenchymal Stem Cells (MSCs) found in umbilical cord tissue to treat metabolic syndrome.
A person has metabolic syndrome when they have at least 3 of the following conditions:
- high blood pressure
- high fasting blood sugar
- abdominal obesity
- high triglycerides (the “bad” cholesterol)
- low high-density lipoproteins (the “good” cholesterol)
Underlying causes of metabolic syndrome include obesity, physical inactivity, genetic factors and aging. Almost one quarter of adults in the United States have metabolic syndrome and due to this, have a greater risk of heart disease, stroke, and diabetes.
This is a unique trial since this is only the second time MSCs from umbilical cord tissue have been used in a clinical trial to target changes associated with aging. If successful, the use of MSCs would be able to suppress chronic inflammation due to metabolic syndrome, reducing the risk of certain cardiovascular diseases.