[Stem cell derived therapy for cutaneous radiation exposure]

Abstract

Radiation injury to skin results in a variety of deterministic effects including inflammatory reactions and cell depletion leading to distinct clinical symptoms following a defined time pattern. Therapeutic approaches are still limited, a complete restitution of affected areas is so far impossible. In the last few years increasing experimental knowledge about acquisition and administration of autologous stem cells also in the field of radiation injuries has been obtained. Evidence reviewed in this article shows that the beneficial effects of stem cell transplantation are not necessarily due to the replacement of damaged cells by transplanted cells but most probably due in the most part to a paracrine effect. Transplanted cells secrete bioactive factors that initiate the stimulation of the host stem cells to regenerate the damaged tissues. Transplanted stem cells produce trophic factors which aid the systemic healing of the victims. Furthermore, administration of stem cell secretomes in the form of conditioned media containing microvesicles or exosomes can be as effective as administering the stem cells. This hypothesis is supported by findings that cell-free derivatives from hMSCs were useful for wound healing purposes and could circumvent the need for intact cells. Furthermore, the beneficial effect of MSC injection on reperfusion and tissue damage in a mouse model of hind limb ischemia could be attributed to paracrine mechanisms with local release of arteriogenic cytokines. Further evaluation of the paracrine potential of autologous stem cells may open new means for treatment of acute as well as chronic sequelae of cutaneous radiation injuries.