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Review
. 2020 Aug 8;11(1):345.
doi: 10.1186/s13287-020-01855-9.

Mesenchymal stromal cell therapies: immunomodulatory properties and clinical progress

Xiaomo Wu  1   2 , Ju Jiang  1 , Zhongkai Gu  3 , Jinyan Zhang  1 , Yang Chen  4 , Xiaolong Liu  5
Affiliations
Review

Mesenchymal stromal cell therapies: immunomodulatory properties and clinical progress

Xiaomo Wu et al. Stem Cell Res Ther. .

Abstract

Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) are a subset of heterogeneous non-hematopoietic fibroblast-like cells that can differentiate into cells of multiple lineages, such as chondrocytes, osteoblasts, adipocytes, myoblasts, and others. These multipotent MSCs can be found in nearly all tissues but mostly located in perivascular niches, playing a significant role in tissue repair and regeneration. Additionally, MSCs interact with immune cells both in innate and adaptive immune systems, modulating immune responses and enabling immunosuppression and tolerance induction. Understanding the biology of MSCs and their roles in clinical treatment is crucial for developing MSC-based cellular therapy for a variety of pathological conditions. Here, we review the progress in the study on the mechanisms underlying the immunomodulatory and regenerative effects of MSCs; update the medical translation of MSCs, focusing on the registration trials leading to regulatory approvals; and discuss how to improve therapeutic efficacy and safety of MSC applications for future.

Keywords: Cellular therapy; Immunomodulatory activity; MSCs; Paracrine effects.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Timeline for major events in studies of the immunosuppressive effects of MSCs and the progress in clinical applications
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Mechanisms mediating immunomodulation. MSCs exert their effect on innate and adaptive immune systems via cell-to-cell interactions and immunomodulatory/regenerative factors. Depleting any one of these molecules would not induce a complete loss of its involved regulatory activities of MSCs and their relative contribution to the therapeutic effects varies between different studies. MSC-mediated immunomodulation and regenerative action is a redundant system, and none of these molecules has an exclusive role
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Overview of the molecular mechanisms facilitating each step of MSCs homing
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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