Therapeutic potential of adipose derived stromal cells for major skin inflammatory diseases

Abstract

Inflammatory skin diseases like psoriasis and atopic dermatitis are chronic inflammatory skin conditions continuously under investigation due to increased prevalence and lack of cure. Moreover, long-term treatments available are often associated with adverse effects and drug resistance. Consequently, there is a clear unmet need for new therapeutic approaches. One promising and cutting-edge treatment option is the use of adipose-derived mesenchymal stromal cells (AD-MSCs) due to its immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory properties. Therefore, this mini review aims to highlight why adipose-derived mesenchymal stromal cells are a potential new treatment for these diseases by summarizing the pre-clinical and clinical studies investigated up to date and addressing current limitations and unresolved clinical questions from a dermatological and immunomodulatory point of view.

Keywords: ADMSCs; cytokines; skin inflammation; stem cells; therapy.

Figure 1

Molecular mechanisms underlying mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) therapeutic effect in major skin inflammatory conditions. MSCs sense the inflammatory microenvironment and respond to it by secreting a diverse array of molecules and expressing bound molecules in their cell surface, including homing receptors (CD44, ICAM1, CXCR4), cytokines (IL-6, CCL-2, CXCL8), growth factors (FGF, VEGF) and immunomodulatory molecules (CD274, IDO1, FasL). These mechanisms enable MSCs to regulate homeostasis, migrate to inflamed or damaged tissue sites, promote angiogenesis, facilitate tissue repair, and dampen ongoing inflammation. MSCs immunomodulation and immunosuppression affects different immune cell types including inhibition of dendritic cell differentiation, promotion of M2-like macrophage phenotype, suppression of mast cell activity, and modulation of T cell responses.