Old Friends with Unexploited Perspectives: Current Advances in Mesenchymal Stem Cell-Based Therapies in Asthma

• Published in: Stem cell reviews and reports Vol. 17; no. 4; pp. 1323 - 1342
• Main Authors: Tynecka, Marlena, Moniuszko, Marcin, Eljaszewicz, Andrzej
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Springer US 01.08.2021; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Animals; Asthma; Asthma - therapy; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Biomedical Engineering and Bioengineering; Cell Biology; Disease Models, Animal; Humans; Immune system; Immunomodulation; Immunoregulation; Inflammation; Inflammatory diseases; Life Sciences; Mesenchymal Stem Cell Transplantation; Mesenchymal Stem Cells; Microenvironments; Regenerative Medicine/Tissue Engineering; Respiratory tract; Respiratory tract diseases; Stem Cells; Experimental asthma; Immune regulation; Stem cells; Mesenchymal stem cells; Asthma
• ISSN: 2629-3269; 2629-3277; 2629-3277
• DOI: 10.1007/s12015-021-10137-7

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have a great regenerative and immunomodulatory potential that was successfully tested in numerous pre-clinical and clinical studies of various degenerative, hematological and inflammatory disorders. Over the last few decades, substantial immunoregulatory effects of MSC treatment were widely observed in different experimental models of asthma. Therefore, it is tempting to speculate that stem cell-based treatment could become an attractive means to better suppress asthmatic airway inflammation, especially in subjects resistant to currently available anti-inflammatory therapies. In this review, we discuss mechanisms accounting for potent immunosuppressive properties of MSCs and the rationale for their use in asthma. We describe in detail an intriguing interplay between MSCs and other crucial players in the immune system as well as lung microenvironment. Finally, we reveal the potential of MSCs in maintaining airway epithelial integrity and alleviating lung remodeling. Graphical abstract