Mesenchymal stromal cells: tissue engineers and immune response modulators.
Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) show significant immune-suppressive properties both in vitro and in vivo. Based on their immune-stealth properties, allogeneic MSCs are used to treat several diseases, for example the injection of MSCs in infarcted heart tissue or their use in bone-cartilage regeneration. The most spectacular treatment was recently described. MSCs were able to down-regulate the severity of graft-versus-host disease, leading to an impressive 20 to 50% increase in the two-year survival of bone marrow transplantation patients. Here the current literature is reviewed to elucidate the different mechanisms involved in these two clinical treatment modalities of MSCs.
Department of Tumor Immunology, Nijmegen Centre for Molecular Life Sciences, Nijmegen, the Netherlands.
Lieke C J
LC
van den Berk
Carl G
CG
Figdor
Ruurd
R
Torensma
D016026:Bone Marrow Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000276:immunology; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D003713:Dendritic Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology; D006086:Graft vs Host Disease / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D008648:Mesoderm / Q000166:cytology*; D017154:Stromal Cells / Q000276:immunology