Concise Review: The Immune Status of Mesenchymal Stem Cells and Its Relevance for Therapeutic Application

Abstract

Multipotentiality and anti-inflammatory activity, the two main properties of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), underlie their therapeutic prospective. During the past decade, numerous studies in animal models and clinical trials explored the potential of MSCs in the treatment of diseases associated with tissue regeneration and inflammatory control. Other qualities of MSCs: ready accessibility in bone marrow and fat tissue and rapid expansion in culture make the therapeutic use of patients' own cells feasible. The prevailing belief that MSCs are nonimmunogenic encouraged the use of unrelated donor cells in immune-competent recipients. The data emerging from studies performed with immuneincompatible cells in animal models for a wide-range of human diseases show, however, conflicting results and cast doubt on the immune privileged status of MSCs. Our analysis of the preclinical literature in this review is aimed to gain a better understanding of the therapeutic potential of immuneincompatible MSCs. Emphasis was laid on applications for enhancement of tissue repair in the absence of immune-suppressive therapy. STEM CELLS 2014;32:603-608

Detailed Characterization of Mesenchymal Stem/Stromal Cells from a Large Cohort of AML Patients Demonstrates a Definitive Link to Treatment Outcomes

“…From the current level of understanding it is hypothesized that BM-MSCs play a role in maintaining hematopoiesis and supporting leukemogenesis in some hematopoietic malignancies (Iwamoto et al., 2007, Klopp et al., 2011, Konopleva et al., 2002). This may be mediated through one or more of the multiple functions attributed to MSCs, of which immune modulation is arguably the most clinically relevant (Knaan-Shanzer, 2014, Najar et al., 2016). In the case of solid tumors, there is concrete evidence that immune suppression mediated by the stromal environment enables cancer cell growth (Turley et al., 2015).…”

Stem Cells in the Limbal Stroma

“…47–50 Similar to other MSCs, CSSCs expanded in culture are able to alter aspects of the cellular immune response. Injection of human CSSCs into mouse corneal stroma in vivo resulted in no xenogeneic T-cell-mediated immune rejection of these cells.…”

Human Mesenchymal stem cells program macrophage plasticity by altering their metabolic status via a PGE2-dependent mechanism

“…Apart from macrophages, over the past few years, ex vivo cultured mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have emerged as potent transplantable reparative cells, with astounding therapeutic benefits in animal models of disease [Reviewed by refs 4, 5, 6]. Ongoing clinical trials across the globe with human MSCs for several degenerative diseases are equally promising (refer ClinicalTrials.gov).…”