Efficacy of Stem Cell Therapy for Interstitial Cystitis/Bladder Pain Syndrome: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Preclinical Studies.
- 1Department of Urology The Second Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University Kunming 650000 China kmmc.cn.
Abstract
Background
Interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome (IC/BPS) is a refractory urological disorder for which effective disease-modifying treatments remain limited. This meta-analysis evaluates the preclinical efficacy of stem cell interventions for IC/BPS and establishes an evidence-based roadmap for clinical translation.Methods
A systematic search of PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library was performed (up to July 8, 2025). Risk of bias was appraised using the SYRCLE framework. Our outcomes focused on bladder histopathology, local inflammatory markers, urodynamic profiles, voiding patterns, and nociceptive behaviors.Results
Eighteen studies (27 comparisons) evaluating interventions based on mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (MSCs) in rat models were included. Stem cell therapy significantly alleviated histopathological damage by reducing mast cell infiltration (SMD = -2.42), collagen deposition (SMD = -2.13), and apoptosis (SMD = -3.09), while suppressing proinflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-6, IL-1β). Functionally, interventions increased bladder capacity (SMD = 2.69), prolonged intercontraction intervals (SMD = 2.39), and markedly alleviated visceral pain (SMD = -3.19). Subgroup analyses identified human embryonic stem cell (hESC)-derived multipotent mesenchymal stem cells (M-MSCs) as the most extensively validated reference type, though other cell types exhibited phenotype-specific potential. Furthermore, a dose of 1 × 10⁶ cells/rat, localized bladder wall injection (BWI), and allogeneic sources were identified as the most favorable preclinical parameters among the evaluated studies.Conclusions
Stem cell therapy-predominantly represented by MSCs-represents a promising candidate intervention with potential disease-modifying properties for IC/BPS in preclinical models. To inform future trial designs, we suggest a preliminary, theoretically scaled human equivalent dose window of 2.0 × 10⁷ to 5.0 × 10⁷ cells, preferentially administered via localized BWI. By exploring optimal cellular parameters and translational barriers, this study provides an evidence-based reference framework to guide the transition of stem cell therapy from bench to bedside.
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BibTeX
@article{yang2026efficacy,
title = {{Efficacy of Stem Cell Therapy for Interstitial Cystitis/Bladder Pain Syndrome: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Preclinical Studies.}},
author = {Tao Yang and Wu Tang and Yuanzhi Li and Junchao Wu and Huitao Wang and Xiang Zhao and Kewei Fang},
journal = {Stem cells international},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.1155/sci/4556842},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42928807},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Efficacy of Stem Cell Therapy for Interstitial Cystitis/Bladder Pain Syndrome: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Preclinical Studies.
AU - Tao Yang
AU - Wu Tang
AU - Yuanzhi Li
AU - Junchao Wu
AU - Huitao Wang
AU - Xiang Zhao
AU - Kewei Fang
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/25
JO - Stem cells international
DO - 10.1155/sci/4556842
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42928807
AB - Background Interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome (IC/BPS) is a refractory urological disorder for which effective disease-modifying treatments remain limited. This meta-analysis evaluates the preclinical efficacy of stem cell interventions for IC/BPS and establishes an evidence-based roadmap for clinical translation.Methods A systematic search of PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library was performed (up to July 8, 2025). Risk of bias was appraised using the SYRCLE framework. Our outcomes focused on bladder histopathology, local inflammatory markers, urodynamic profiles, voiding patterns, and nociceptive behaviors.Results Eighteen studies (27 comparisons) evaluating interventions based on mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (MSCs) in rat models were included. Stem cell therapy significantly alleviated histopathological damage by reducing mast cell infiltration (SMD = -2.42), collagen deposition (SMD = -2.13), and apoptosis (SMD = -3.09), while suppressing proinflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-6, IL-1β). Functionally, interventions increased bladder capacity (SMD = 2.69), prolonged intercontraction intervals (SMD = 2.39), and markedly alleviated visceral pain (SMD = -3.19). Subgroup analyses identified human embryonic stem cell (hESC)-derived multipotent mesenchymal stem cells (M-MSCs) as the most extensively validated reference type, though other cell types exhibited phenotype-specific potential. Furthermore, a dose of 1 × 10⁶ cells/rat, localized bladder wall injection (BWI), and allogeneic sources were identified as the most favorable preclinical parameters among the evaluated studies.Conclusions Stem cell therapy-predominantly represented by MSCs-represents a promising candidate intervention with potential disease-modifying properties for IC/BPS in preclinical models. To inform future trial designs, we suggest a preliminary, theoretically scaled human equivalent dose window of 2.0 × 10⁷ to 5.0 × 10⁷ cells, preferentially administered via localized BWI. By exploring optimal cellular parameters and translational barriers, this study provides an evidence-based reference framework to guide the transition of stem cell therapy from bench to bedside.
SN - 1687-966X
SN - 1687-9678
ER -