Background & Aim: Bone marrow derived mesenchymal stem cells (BM-MSCs) have capacity to differentiate into hepatocytes and anti-fibrotic effect in the experimental model. No study was done in humans with alcoholic liver cirrhosis. The researchers investigated the anti-fibrotic effect of BM-MSCs in alcoholic cirrhosis as Phase II clinical study.

Methods: Eleven alcoholic cirrhosis patients (M:F = 10:1) with Child-Pugh's class B and maintenance of alcohol abstinence at least 2 months were enrolled. At baseline, all patients received liver biopsy, hepatic venous pressure gradient (HVPG) measurement and serologic tests. BM-MSCs were isolated from each patient's BM and amplified for one month and injected two times at 4, 8week through Rt. hepatic artery. 5x106cells/mL of BM-MSCs were injected in each session. Follow up biopsy, HVPG and relative expression of tissue transforming growth factor-1 (TGF-β1), α smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) and collagen-1 by real time RT PCR were measured after 12weeks from 2nd BM-MSC injection. The primary outcome was improvement in patients' histology Aim :

The researchers aimed to evaluate safety and effectiveness of new therapy with bone marrow derived autologous mesenchymal stem cell for hepatic failure caused by alcoholic liver cirrhosis.

Autologous BM-MSCs therapy in alcoholic cirrhosis induces improvement of hepatic fibrosis in histological and quantitative measurements.

Inclusion Criteria:

1. Alcoholic liver cirrhosis(child Pugh class B or C, ≥ 7 scores),confirmed by clinically or biopsy.
2. Stop drinking over past 6months.
3. Patients agree with informed consent Patients must satisfy all inclusion criteria.

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Patients who did not satisfy inclusion criteria
2. Hepatocellular carcinoma
3. Pregnancy or breast feeding
4. Infective disease(HIV, HBV, HCV..)
5. Other incurable malignancy