E-Book

E-Book 3rd Congress

  • A review: mesenchymal stem cell-based therapies for Autoimmune Diseases
  • Helia Keshavarzi,1,*
    1. bagerolulum research center


  • Introduction: Autoimmune disease [AID also called autoimmune disorder] is a result of immunological imbalance and intolerance. In such a condition, an immune response is produced against the healthy tissues or substances in our body. About 80 different types of autoimmune disorders are found to affect various systems and organs in the body. Current treatments for these diseases, such as immune suppressive agents, have long-term side effects and require lifelong treatment. As a result, researchers are exploring alternative and more efficient therapy options. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have recently been identified as a potential novel therapeutic option for autoimmune disorders. They have been found to have a significant immune-regulatory effect against autoimmune disorders, inhibiting NK proliferation and activity, as well as suppressing T/B cell proliferation and dendritic cell maturation. As a result, MSCs have gained increased interest in treating autoimmune disorders.
  • Methods: The papers included in this article were obtained from PubMed and MEDLINE databases. The following medical subject headings were used: “stem cell therapy”, “autoimmune disease”, “regenerative medicine”, “mesenchymal stem cells”, and “Autoinflammatory disease”.
  • Results: MSCs possess the ability to differentiate both in-vivo and in-vitro into different lineages, which include adipose, bone, cartilage, muscle, and myelosupportive stroma. Isolation of MSCs can be done from bone marrow, skeletal muscle, adipose tissue synovial membranes, connective tissues in adults, cord blood, and products of placenta. Allogeneic MSCs can be transplanted into a patient without preconditioning and still have positive clinical effects on the subject without acute toxicity. MSCs possess the following abilities that make them a clinical success. 1. Homes to inflammation site when delivered intravenously following tissue injury. 2. Differentiates into a variety of cells. 3. Secretes multiple bioactive molecules that facilitate recovery of injured cells and inhibition of inflammation in return. 4. Lacks immunogenicity and possesses immunomodulatory functions. MSCs can also migrate and engraft at the inflammation site when administered locally or systemically, and downregulate pathogenic immune response triggered in Graft versus Host Disease (GVHD) and AID such as multiple sclerosis, autoimmune diabetes, and rheumatoid arthritis. Particularly for diabetes, studies demonstrated that systemic administration of MSCs could prevent or reduce the development of type 1 diabetes in a NOD mouse model. The MSCs were found to decrease the incidence of diabetes, reduce T cell and CXCL9-positive macrophage accumulation in the islets, and increase islet beta cell area and insulin content. This suggests that MSCs have potential as a therapeutic option for preventing or treating autoimmune side effects, such as type 1 diabetes, associated with immune checkpoint inhibitors. Additionally, many scientists believe that the beneficial effects of MSCs are owing to the paracrine activity of MSCs not to their cell replacement properties or differentiation properties. The paracrine activity of MSCs could be considered a novel therapeutic perspective in order to develop a safe and potentially more advantageous alternative to MSC-based therapy i.e. cell-free strategies. Notably, MSC-derived extracellular vesicles are an example of the paracrine activity of MSCs. MSC therapy is widely used and can be delivered through intravenous or intra-arterial injection. The route of administration is chosen based on the application, and MSC therapy can be either autologous or allogeneic. Both types of therapy are used to treat inflammatory diseases such as systemic lupus erythematosus, Crohn's disease, multiple system atrophy, multiple sclerosis, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and stroke.
  • Conclusion: Clinical studies have shown promising results for the potential use of MSCs in treatment, but it has not yet become a standard therapy. Concerns about the tumorigenic potential of MSCs have led to the exploration of MSC-derived EVs as a cell-free alternative. While preclinical and clinical studies have shown positive results for using MSC-derived EVs to treat autoimmune disorders, this approach is still in the early stages of development and research. Overall, MSCs may be a new and emerging treatment modality for autoimmune diseases, but further comprehensive investigations are needed before they can be widely used in clinical applications.
  • Keywords: Autoimmune disease, Stem cell therapy, Regenerative medicine, Mesenchymal stem cells