Mesenchymal stem cells and immunomodulation: current status and future prospects

Abstract

The unique immunomodulatory properties of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) make them an invaluable cell type for the repair of tissue/ organ damage caused by chronic inflammation or autoimmune disorders. Although they hold great promise in the treatment of immune disorders such as graft versus host disease (GvHD) and allergic disorders, there remain many challenges to overcome before their widespread clinical application. An understanding of the biological properties of MSCs will clarify the mechanisms of MSC-based transplantation for immunomodulation. In this review, we summarize the preclinical and clinical studies of MSCs from different adult tissues, discuss the current hurdles to their use and propose the future development of pluripotent stem cell-derived MSCs as an approach to immunomodulation therapy.

Figure 1

Immunomodulatory effects of MSCs on immune cells. Immunomodulatory effects of MSCs include suppression of B- and T-cell proliferation, induction and regulation of regulatory T cells, inhibition of NK cell function and inhibiting dendritic cell maturation and activation. The immunosuppressive effects of MSCs are mediated by soluble factors and cell–cell contact

Figure 2

Establishing clinical grade hESC-MSC lines under cGMP facilities and protocols. All parts of the process must be defined and operated by professionals: the cell lines, the starting materials, cell culture density and medium. Cells must be cultured under the GMP standard. Phenotype, functional potential and microbiological safety of each batch of hESC-MSCs are tested. Scientific, rigorous and complete quality control of cells should be done before infusion