Safety and Efficacy of Human Umbilical Cord Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells for Treatment of HBV-related Liver Cirrhosis

HBV related Liver disease is a common medical problem in China. An estimated 7.18% of the Chinese (about 93 million) is infected with hepatitis B, and most of the HBV- related hepatitis can developed into liver cirrhosis. Liver transplantation is the only available life saving treatment for patients with end stage liver disease. However, lack of donors, surgical complications, rejection, and high cost are serious problems. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) possess plasticity and have the potential to differentiate into hepatocyte; Thus, MSCs hold great hope for therapeutic applications. Human umbilical cord-derived MSCs (hUC-MSCs) exhibit a more beneficial immunogenic profile and greater overall immunosuppressive potential than aged bone marrow-derived MSCs. Like MSCs derived from bone marrow, hUC-MSCs can also be used to treat rat liver fibrosis and improve glucose homeostasis in rats with liver cirrhosis. In this study, the patients with HBV-related liver cirrhosis will undergo administration of hUC-MSCs via hepatic artery to evaluate the safety and efficacy of hUC-MSC treatment for these patients.