title: Stem cell transplantation for muscular dystrophy: the challenge of immune response.
abstract: Treating muscle disorders poses several challenges to the rapidly evolving field of regenerative medicine. Considerable progress has been made in isolating, characterizing, and expanding myogenic stem cells and, although we are now envisaging strategies to generate very large numbers of transplantable cells (e.g., by differentiating induced pluripotent stem cells), limitations directly linked to the interaction between transplanted cells and the host will continue to hamper a successful outcome. Among these limitations, host inflammatory and immune responses challenge the critical phases after cell delivery, including engraftment, migration, and differentiation. Therefore, it is key to study the mechanisms and dynamics that impair the efficacy of cell transplants in order to develop strategies that can ultimately improve the outcome of allogeneic and autologous stem cell therapies, in particular for severe disease such as muscular dystrophies. In this review we provide an overview of the main players and issues involved in this process and discuss potential approaches that might be beneficial for future regenerative therapies of skeletal muscle.
authors: Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University College London, London WC1E 6DE, UK.
authors: Sara Martina
authors: 0000-0002-2722-670X
authors: SM
authors: Maffioletti
authors: Experimental Hematology Unit, Division of Immunology, Transplantation and Infectious Diseases, San Raffaele Scientific Institute, 20132 Milan, Italy.
authors: Maddalena
authors: M
authors: Noviello
authors: Institute of Immunology, Department of Biology, National University of Ireland Maynooth, County Kildare, Ireland.
authors: Karen
authors: 0000-0002-7932-4256
authors: K
authors: English
authors: Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University College London, London WC1E 6DE, UK.
authors: Francesco Saverio
authors: 0000-0001-5321-7682
authors: FS
authors: Tedesco
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D002465:Cell Movement; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D006801:Humans; D007107:Immune System; D007249:Inflammation; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000502:physiology*; D009136:Muscular Dystrophies / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000628:therapy*; D012038:Regeneration; D044968:Regenerative Medicine / Q000379:methods*; D033581:Stem Cell Transplantation; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology*