Cell therapy as a new approach on hepatic fibrosis of murine model of Schistosoma mansoni infection

Schistosomiasis is an acute and chronic disease caused by blood flukes (trematode worms) of the genus Schistosoma. Schistosomiasis is disease that are prevalent in or unique to tropical and subtropical regions. Previous studies have shown that the role of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) therapy in improvement of hepatic fibrosis. Therefore, the current study was designed to assess the therapeutic role of BMSCs in murine schistosomiasis mansoni. BMSCs derived male mice were intraperitoneal injected into female mice that received S. mansoni cercariae through subcutaneous route. Mice were divided into four groups: negative control group (noninfected non treated); positive control group (infected non treated); BMSCs treated group; and untreated group. Liver histopathology and immunohistochemically were evaluated. BMSC intraperitoneal injection resulted in a significant reduction in liver collagen, granuloma size, and significant increase in OV-6 expression in the Schistosomiasis treated mice group. There was overall improvement of the pathological changes of the liver. The findings support that BMSCs has a regenerative potential in the histopathology and function of the liver tissue by decreasing liver fibrosis.