title: Are mesenchymal stem cells major sources of safe signals in immune system?
abstract: Numerous reports have shown that mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are implicated in immuno-regulation. Several factors expressed from MSCs, especially indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO) and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), are of importance in immuno-regulation on immune cells. In current minireview, we provided evidences to support a novel notion that MSCs may be a major source of "safe signals" in the immune system to balance "dangerous signals" based on a well accepted theory of "danger model". Furthermore, MSCs are of lifecycle characterized by age-and diseased-related changes, such as decreased growth rate, increased senescence, and altered morphology. Thus, defected and abnormal MSCs are implicated in auto-immune diseases, such as systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Clinically, it is important to determine clinical benefits and sides effects of cell therapies using autologous self-MSCs or healthy allogeneic MSCs in treatment of autoimmune diseases.
authors.affiliation: The State Key Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, Institute of Hematology and Hospital of Blood Diseases, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union of Medical College, Tianjin 300020, China.
authors.forename: Hanyu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Mingyuan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Yongjun
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000276:immunology; D064987:Cell- and Tissue-Based Therapy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D007107:Immune System / Q000276:immunology*; D059630:Mesenchymal Stem Cells / Q000276:immunology*