Preclinical efficacy and mechanisms of mesenchymal stem cells in animal models of autoimmune diseases.
Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are present in diverse tissues and organs, including bone marrow, umbilical cord, adipose tissue, and placenta. MSCs can expand easily in vitro and have regenerative stem cell properties and potent immunoregulatory activity. They inhibit the functions of dendritic cells, B cells, and T cells, but enhance those of regulatory T cells by producing immunoregulatory molecules such as transforming growth factor-β, hepatic growth factors, prostaglandin E2, interleukin-10, indolamine 2,3-dioxygenase, nitric oxide, heme oxygenase-1, and human leukocyte antigen-G. These properties make MSCs promising therapeutic candidates for the treatment of autoimmune diseases. Here, we review the preclinical studies of MSCs in animal models for systemic lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn's disease, and experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis, and summarize the underlying immunoregulatory mechanisms.
College of Pharmacy, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju 361-763, Korea.
Hong Kyung
HK
Lee
College of Pharmacy, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju 361-763, Korea.
Sang Hee
SH
Lim
College of Pharmacy, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju 361-763, Korea.
In Sung
IS
Chung
College of Pharmacy, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju 361-763, Korea.
Yunsoo
Y
Park
College of Pharmacy, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju 361-763, Korea.
Mi Jeong
MJ
Park
College of Pharmacy, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju 361-763, Korea.
Ju Young
JY
Kim
College of Pharmacy, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju 361-763, Korea.
Yong Guk
YG
Kim
College of Pharmacy, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju 361-763, Korea.
Jin Tae
JT
Hong
College of Pharmacy, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju 361-763, Korea.
Youngsoo
Y
Kim
College of Pharmacy, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju 361-763, Korea.
Sang-Bae
SB
Han
Autoimmune diseases; Immunoregulation; Mesenchymal stem cells