Mesenchymal stem cells in treating human diseases: molecular mechanisms and clinical studies
Abstract Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have emerged as a highly promising strategy in regenerative medicine due to their self-renewal, pluripotency and immunomodulatory properties. MSCs are nonhematopoietic, multipotent stem cells that can differentiate into various mesodermal lineages and modulate...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Nature Publishing Group
2025-08-01
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| Series: | Signal Transduction and Targeted Therapy |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41392-025-02313-9 |
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| author | Xia Han Rongdong Liao Xiang Li Cantong Zhang Shaochuan Huo Lei Qin Yi Xiong Tailin He Guozhi Xiao Tianfeng Zhang |
| author_facet | Xia Han Rongdong Liao Xiang Li Cantong Zhang Shaochuan Huo Lei Qin Yi Xiong Tailin He Guozhi Xiao Tianfeng Zhang |
| author_sort | Xia Han |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have emerged as a highly promising strategy in regenerative medicine due to their self-renewal, pluripotency and immunomodulatory properties. MSCs are nonhematopoietic, multipotent stem cells that can differentiate into various mesodermal lineages and modulate the immune system. The therapeutic potential of MSCs from different tissues has been widely explored in preclinical models and clinical trials for human diseases, ranging from autoimmune diseases and inflammatory disorders to neurodegenerative diseases and orthopedic injuries. The therapeutic effects of MSCs can be mediated through the release of bioactive molecules, including growth factors, cytokines, and extracellular vesicles, which play crucial roles in modulating the local cellular environment, promoting tissue repair, angiogenesis, and cell survival, and exerting anti-inflammatory effects. MSCs can also interact with various immune cells, such as T cells, B cells, dendritic cells, and macrophages, modulating the immune response through both direct cell‒cell interactions and the release of immunoregulatory molecules. This review delves into the molecular mechanisms, signaling pathways, and regulatory factors that underpin the therapeutic effects of MSCs. This review also highlights the clinical applications and challenges associated with the use of MSC-based drugs to promote the safety and efficacy of MSC-based therapies. Overall, this comprehensive review provides valuable insights into the current state of MSC research and its potential for transforming the field of regenerative medicine as well as immune-mediated inflammatory diseases. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-69525ca61d404e45b18b4dccb8dd63bf |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2059-3635 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-08-01 |
| publisher | Nature Publishing Group |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Signal Transduction and Targeted Therapy |
| spelling | doaj-art-69525ca61d404e45b18b4dccb8dd63bf2025-08-24T11:54:01ZengNature Publishing GroupSignal Transduction and Targeted Therapy2059-36352025-08-0110114110.1038/s41392-025-02313-9Mesenchymal stem cells in treating human diseases: molecular mechanisms and clinical studiesXia Han0Rongdong Liao1Xiang Li2Cantong Zhang3Shaochuan Huo4Lei Qin5Yi Xiong6Tailin He7Guozhi Xiao8Tianfeng Zhang9Research Institute, Shenzhen Hospital (Futian) of Guangzhou University of Chinese MedicineDepartment of Orthopedics, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical UniversityGuizhou Provincial Engineering Technology Research Center for Chemical Drug R&D, College of Pharmacy, Guizhou Medical UniversityDepartment of Rheumatology and Immunology, Shenzhen Third People’s HospitalResearch Institute, Shenzhen Hospital (Futian) of Guangzhou University of Chinese MedicineDepartment of Orthopedics, Shenzhen Nanshan People’s Hospital, and the 6th Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University Medical SchoolResearch Institute, Shenzhen Hospital (Futian) of Guangzhou University of Chinese MedicineDepartment of Rheumatology and Immunology, Shenzhen Third People’s HospitalDepartment of Biochemistry, Homeostatic Medicine Institute, School of Medicine, Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Cell Microenvironment, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Cell Microenvironment and Disease Research, Southern University of Science and TechnologyResearch Institute, Shenzhen Hospital (Futian) of Guangzhou University of Chinese MedicineAbstract Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have emerged as a highly promising strategy in regenerative medicine due to their self-renewal, pluripotency and immunomodulatory properties. MSCs are nonhematopoietic, multipotent stem cells that can differentiate into various mesodermal lineages and modulate the immune system. The therapeutic potential of MSCs from different tissues has been widely explored in preclinical models and clinical trials for human diseases, ranging from autoimmune diseases and inflammatory disorders to neurodegenerative diseases and orthopedic injuries. The therapeutic effects of MSCs can be mediated through the release of bioactive molecules, including growth factors, cytokines, and extracellular vesicles, which play crucial roles in modulating the local cellular environment, promoting tissue repair, angiogenesis, and cell survival, and exerting anti-inflammatory effects. MSCs can also interact with various immune cells, such as T cells, B cells, dendritic cells, and macrophages, modulating the immune response through both direct cell‒cell interactions and the release of immunoregulatory molecules. This review delves into the molecular mechanisms, signaling pathways, and regulatory factors that underpin the therapeutic effects of MSCs. This review also highlights the clinical applications and challenges associated with the use of MSC-based drugs to promote the safety and efficacy of MSC-based therapies. Overall, this comprehensive review provides valuable insights into the current state of MSC research and its potential for transforming the field of regenerative medicine as well as immune-mediated inflammatory diseases.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41392-025-02313-9 |
| spellingShingle | Xia Han Rongdong Liao Xiang Li Cantong Zhang Shaochuan Huo Lei Qin Yi Xiong Tailin He Guozhi Xiao Tianfeng Zhang Mesenchymal stem cells in treating human diseases: molecular mechanisms and clinical studies Signal Transduction and Targeted Therapy |
| title | Mesenchymal stem cells in treating human diseases: molecular mechanisms and clinical studies |
| title_full | Mesenchymal stem cells in treating human diseases: molecular mechanisms and clinical studies |
| title_fullStr | Mesenchymal stem cells in treating human diseases: molecular mechanisms and clinical studies |
| title_full_unstemmed | Mesenchymal stem cells in treating human diseases: molecular mechanisms and clinical studies |
| title_short | Mesenchymal stem cells in treating human diseases: molecular mechanisms and clinical studies |
| title_sort | mesenchymal stem cells in treating human diseases molecular mechanisms and clinical studies |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41392-025-02313-9 |
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