Treatment of atopic dermatitis | Overview including symptoms and causes

In atopic dermatitis, skin problems, mainly itchiness and inflammation, persist for a long time. This condition can develop in a wide range of ages, from infants to adults, and poses a significant burden on daily life due to recurring symptoms.
In recent years, stem cell therapy, a regenerative medicine technique, has drawn attention in the context of intractable types of dermatitis such as atopic dermatitis. Stem cells have exhibited properties that regulate immune balance and facilitate inflammatory suppression and have the potential to address the causes of atopic dermatitis in a multifaceted manner. In this article, we provide basic knowledge about atopic dermatitis in terms of its symptoms and causes and introduce the mechanism and specific treatment flow of stem cell therapy to explain how stem cell therapy can be used to achieve radical treatment outcomes.

What is atopic dermatitis?

Atopic dermatitis is a disease characterized by chronic eczema and itching that repeatedly occur in the skin and appears to predominantly affect individuals predisposed to allergies. It occurs when various factors, such as decreased skin barrier function and excessive immune response, overlap to cause inflammation that may persist for weeks to months or even years. The term “atopy” means “an allergic reaction of unknown cause,” which is characterized by a high percentage of cases where symptoms temporarily improve but then recur. Aggravating factors include lifestyle habits, change of seasons, and stress, all of which necessitate continuous care. *1

*1 Reference:National Center for Child Health Development

Symptoms of atopic dermatitis

Symptoms of atopic dermatitis often include severe itching, dry skin and eczema, or repeated inflammation. Specifically, these symptoms have the following characteristics.

• Severe itching: There are times when itching tends to increase, such as at night or when sweating. It often lowers the quality of sleep and disrupts one’s daily rhythm.
• Eczema, redness, and skin erosions: Dry skin causes cracking, and excessive scratching breaks the skin and causes erosion. When aggravated, it may cause the affected skin to ooze, accompanied by bacterial infection.
• Chronic inflammation: Even if this symptom appears to improve, it often recurs when the environment or physical condition changes.
• Lichenification of the skin: After long-term scratching, the skin becomes thick and hard, and pigmentation may occur.

Symptoms vary widely among individuals. Some patients have mild itching that does not interfere with daily life, while others have severe symptoms that spread throughout the body and even prevent them from going out. *2

*2 Reference:Allergy Portal

Causes of atopic dermatitis

Intricately intertwined factors appear to lead to the development of atopic dermatitis:

• Genetic factors: Allergic predisposition and hypersensitive immune response may be hereditary.
• Decreased skin barrier function: The stratum corneum on the skin surface is fragile and prone to external irritation and allergen invasion. It is characterized by skin that is prone to dryness because it lacks the ability to retain moisture.
• Overreaction of the immune system: The immune system reacts excessively even to stimuli that are usually harmless, causing inflammation or allergic symptoms.
• Environmental factors and lifestyle habits: House dust, mites, pollen, food allergy, stress, climate change, etc. can be aggravating factors.

In many cases, once inflammation occurs, skin injury from scratching too much, combined with infection can lead to a chronic vicious cycle. *3

*3 Reference: Daiichi Sankyo Healthcare

Stem cell therapy as a promising radical treatment for atopic dermatitis

The use of stem cells currently holds promise as a treatment method for atopic dermatitis.

In this section, we will explain the background of stem cells gaining attention and discuss the details of stem cell therapy.

What is stem cell therapy?

Conventional treatment of atopic dermatitis is mainly aimed at suppressing symptoms by combining topical steroids, immunosuppressants, antihistamines, and moisturizers. Recently, attention has been directed toward stem cell therapy, a regenerative medicine technique. Stem cells have the ability to both self-renew and undergo multilineage differentiation; as they also secrete growth factors involved in inflammation and immune regulation, the possibility of stem cells promoting skin tissue repair by improving the immune balance from within the body has been suggested in the context of atopic dermatitis.

Advantages of stem cell therapy

The following advantages are the reason why stem cell therapy holds promise as a new therapeutic approach for atopic dermatitis.

• Possibility of fundamentally enhancing the patient’s overall health: The multifaceted actions of stem cells may improve the body’s internal environment and thus suppress sudden inflammation in a profound way.
• Reduced risk of side effects: When autologous stem cells are used, relatively fewer rejection responses and serious adverse reactions are expected.
• Immune balance adjustment: Maintenance of the necessary defense function while suppressing excessive immune response including secretion of cytokines is expected.
• Long-term improvement: Unlike conventional ointments and oral medications, cellular repair may improve the root cause of the symptoms.

Reasons why stem cell therapy is effective

The immunoregulatory functions of stem cells are key to controlling excessive allergic reactions. In addition, it is highly likely that stem cell differentiation will support the repair of skin damaged by inflammation. The effects of stem cell therapy lie in its ability to rebuild the skin barrier while controlling the immune system in a multifaceted manner and minimizing inflammation in atopic dermatitis, which is characterized by inflammation and allergic reactions. Nevertheless, since the degree and duration of effects vary from person to person, sufficient consultation with specialists is essential.

Flow of treatment at the Regenerative Medicine Division of Korokai Medical Corporation

At the Regenerative Medicine Division of Korokai Medical Corporation, the following steps are taken when administering stem cell therapy to patients with atopic dermatitis.

• Initial consultation and tests: We will confirm the indication for stem cell therapy by comprehensively evaluating the patient’s symptoms, medical history, treatment history, allergy test, and other details.
• Stem cell collection and culture: Stem cells will be extracted from the patient’s adipose tissue and cultured under strict control. The quality and safety of stem cell culture will be ensured.
• Preparation of the treatment plan: The appropriate frequency, interval, and route of administration, including intravenous infusion and local injection, will be determined according to the patient’s symptoms and condition.
• Stem cell administration and follow-up: After administering stem cells, the condition of the skin and degree of inflammation will be monitored through regular follow-up visits. The therapeutic effect will be enhanced using additional dose administration and combination therapy.

Possibility of stem cells being helpful in the treatment of atopic dermatitis

Atopic dermatitis is a skin disease in which severe itching and inflammation repeatedly occur, placing a large burden on daily life. Stem cell therapy is a new therapeutic option with the potential for treating atopic dermatitis as a regenerative medicine technique that provides multifaceted support for inflammation and immune regulation as well as tissue regeneration. By reconstructing the skin barrier and improving the immune balance, stem cells may lead to symptom alleviation and radical improvements. The Regenerative Medicine Division of Korokai Medical Corporation is working to help reduce the burden of atopic dermatitis by proposing optimal stem cell therapy plans tailored for each patient.

The Regenerative Medicine Division of Korokai Medical Corporation offers stem cell-based regenerative medicine
as a medical institution approved by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare. *4

If you are interested in stem cell therapy, please contact our hospital for consultation.
The Regenerative Medicine Division of Korokai Medical Corporation carefully selects evidence-based treatment and offers regenerative medicine according to each individual’s concerns based on novel comprehensive treatment strategies. To optimize the results, oral therapies such as bioidentical hormone replacement therapy or peptide therapy can be combined with stem cell therapy, if preferred.

*4 Source:Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare

The Regenerative Medicine Division of Korokai Medical Corporation – a stem cell therapy clinic in Tokyo

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[1] Therapeutic Method
The treatment involves harvesting and culturing stem cells from the patient’s adipose tissue and then injecting them locally to the affected area or administering them via intravenous infusion.
[2] Risk of side effects
At the time of fat collection: Adverse reactions such as internal bleeding, swelling, postoperative infection, postoperative scar, and pain at the injection site may be observed.
At the time of stem cell administration: Adverse reactions such as pain at the injection site, allergic reaction, and pulmonary embolism may be observed.
[3] Contact information
The Regenerative Medicine Division, Korokai Medical Corporation
5th floor, Precious 18, 4-14-6 Minami-Azabu, Minato-ku, Tokyo
TEL:03-6277-4650
[4] Pricing
This treatment is a private therapeutic strategy that is not covered by public health insurance.
For culture of approximately 100–180 million stem cells
*Depending on the number of stem cell cultures obtained from each individual, it may be less than 100 million stem cells.
1 cycle costs 2.5 million yen (tax included)
3 cycles cost 7.2 million yen (payment in installments: 2.5 million yen for the first and second cycles, 2.3 million yen for the third cycle)
5 cycles cost 11.5 million yen (tax included) (payment in installments: 2.5 million yen for the first through fourth cycles, 1.5 million yen for the fifth cycle)
For culture of approximately 200–280 million stem cells
*Depending on the number of stem cell cultures obtained from each individual, it may be less than 200 million stem cells.
1 cycle costs 3.8 million yen (tax included)
3 cycles cost 11.1 million yen (tax included) (payment in installments: 3.8 million yen for the first and second cycles, 3.5 million yen for the third cycle)
5 cycles cost 17.5 million yen (tax included) (payment in installments: 3.8 million yen for the first through fourth cycles, 2.3 million yen for the fifth cycle)
Please consult us for further details.
[5] Route of acquisition
Stem cells are cultured at the affiliated CPC.
[6] Presence or absence of devices/drugs approved for the indications in Japan
No approved drugs for the indications are available in Japan.
[7] Safety information from other countries
There are no reports on safety in other countries.
*Significant risks may not have been identified.
[8] The fact that it has not been approved
Drugs used in this treatment are yet to receive approval in accordance with the Pharmaceutical and Medical Device Act.
[9] Unapproved drugs/devices
Public aid systems (such as Relief Systems for Adverse Drug Reactions and Infections Acquired through Biological Products) are not applicable to unapproved drugs and devices.
[10] Notification of regenerative medicine provision plans
To perform this treatment, we have submitted the notification of regenerative medicine provision plans to the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare in accordance with the Act on the Safety of Regenerative Medicine.
Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, Class II Regenerative Medicine Provision Plan No. PB3210146
Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, Class II Regenerative Medicine Provision Plan, No. PB3230187
Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, Class II Regenerative Medicine Provision Plan, No. PB3240017
Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, Class II Regenerative Medicine Provision Plan, No. PB3230218
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