Immunoregulatory function of mesenchymal stem cells and application of mesenchymal stem cells in therapy of autoimmune disease]

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are multipotent cells derived from many adult tissues, which can differentiate into cells of the mesodermal lineage, such as adipocyte, osteocyte and chondrocyte, as well as cells of other embryonic lineages. They are a promising tool for tissue engineering. In addition, MSC interacts with immune system, suppressing T cell, B cell and NK cell function and dendritic cell activities. MSC migrates to injured tissue to promote the survival of damaged cells and induces peripheral immune tolerance. The role of MSC in reducing the incidence and severity of graft versus host disease (GVHD) clinically has recently been reported. The immunoregulatory function of MSCs also shows a growing promise in the therapeutic application in autoimmune diseases. This review discusses the mechanism of MSC immunomodulatory ability and its therapeutic potential in autoimmune diseases.