Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Review
. 2024 Feb 21;25(5):2527.
doi: 10.3390/ijms25052527.

Biology and Therapeutic Properties of Mesenchymal Stem Cells in Leukemia

Cheng-Hsien Wu  1 , Te-Fu Weng  2   3 , Ju-Pi Li  2   4 , Kang-Hsi Wu  2   3
Affiliations
Review

Biology and Therapeutic Properties of Mesenchymal Stem Cells in Leukemia

Cheng-Hsien Wu et al. Int J Mol Sci. .

Abstract

This comprehensive review delves into the multifaceted roles of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) in leukemia, focusing on their interactions within the bone marrow microenvironment and their impact on leukemia pathogenesis, progression, and treatment resistance. MSCs, characterized by their ability to differentiate into various cell types and modulate the immune system, are integral to the BM niche, influencing hematopoietic stem cell maintenance and functionality. This review extensively explores the intricate relationship between MSCs and leukemic cells in acute myeloid leukemia, acute lymphoblastic leukemia, chronic myeloid leukemia, and chronic lymphocytic leukemia. This review also addresses the potential clinical applications of MSCs in leukemia treatment. MSCs' role in hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, their antitumor effects, and strategies to disrupt chemo-resistance are discussed. Despite their therapeutic potential, the dual nature of MSCs in promoting and inhibiting tumor growth poses significant challenges. Further research is needed to understand MSCs' biological mechanisms in hematologic malignancies and develop targeted therapeutic strategies. This in-depth exploration of MSCs in leukemia provides crucial insights for advancing treatment modalities and improving patient outcomes in hematologic malignancies.

Keywords: bone marrow microenvironment; clinical applications; hematopoietic stem cells; leukemia; mesenchymal stem cells.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
The pathophysiology of leukemia.
Figure 2
Figure 2
The potential clinical applications of MSCs in leukemia.
Figure 3
Figure 3
The pro-tumor effect and anti-tumor effect between MSCs and leukemic cells.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

Similar articles

See all similar articles

Cited by

References

    1. Uccelli A., Moretta L., Pistoia V. Mesenchymal stem cells in health and disease. Nat. Rev. Immunol. 2008;8:726–736. doi: 10.1038/nri2395. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Horwitz E.M., Le Blanc K., Dominici M., Mueller I., Slaper-Cortenbach I., Marini F.C., Deans R.J., Krause D.S., Keating A. Clarification of the nomenclature for MSC: The International Society for Cellular Therapy position statement. Cytotherapy. 2005;7:393–395. doi: 10.1080/14653240500319234. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Dominici M., Le Blanc K., Mueller I., Slaper-Cortenbach I., Marini F., Krause D., Deans R., Keating A., Prockop D., Horwitz E. Minimal criteria for defining multipotent mesenchymal stromal cells. The International Society for Cellular Therapy position statement. Cytotherapy. 2006;8:315–317. doi: 10.1080/14653240600855905. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Ullah I., Subbarao R.B., Rho G.J. Human mesenchymal stem cells-current trends and future prospective. Biosci. Rep. 2015;35:e00191. doi: 10.1042/BSR20150025. - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. Asada N., Takeishi S., Frenette P.S. Complexity of bone marrow hematopoietic stem cell niche. Int. J. Hematol. 2017;106:45–54. doi: 10.1007/s12185-017-2262-9. - DOI - PMC - PubMed

MeSH terms