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Kim N, Min GJ, Im KI, Nam YS, Song Y, Lee JS, Oh EJ, Chung NG, Jeon YW, Lee JW, Cho SG. Repeated Infusions of Bone-Marrow-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells over 8 Weeks for Steroid-Refractory Chronic Graft-versus-Host Disease: A Prospective, Phase I/II Clinical Study. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:6731. [PMID: 38928436 PMCID: PMC11204151 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25126731] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2024] [Revised: 06/14/2024] [Accepted: 06/15/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Chronic graft-versus-host disease (cGVHD) is a long-term complication of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation associated with poor quality of life and increased morbidity and mortality. Currently, there are several approved treatments for patients who do not respond to steroids, such as ruxolitinib. Nevertheless, a significant proportion of patients fail second-line treatment, indicating the need for novel approaches. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have been considered a potential treatment approach for steroid-refractory cGVHD. To evaluate the safety and efficacy of repeated infusions of MSCs, we administered intravenous MSCs every two weeks to ten patients with severe steroid-refractory cGVHD in a prospective phase I clinical trial. Each patient received a total of four doses, with each dose containing 1 × 106 cells/kg body weight from the same donor and same passage. Patients were assessed for their response to treatment using the 2014 National Institutes of Health (NIH) response criteria during each visit. Ten patients with diverse organ involvement were enrolled, collectively undergoing 40 infusions as planned. Remarkably, the MSC infusions were well tolerated without severe adverse events. Eight weeks after the initial MSC infusion, all ten patients showed partial responses characterized by the amelioration of clinical symptoms and enhancement of their quality of life. The overall response rate was 60%, with a complete response rate of 20% and a partial response (PR) rate of 40% at the last follow-up. Overall survival was 80%, with a median follow-up of 381 days. Two patients died due to relapse of their primary disease. Immunological analyses revealed a reduction in inflammatory markers, including Suppression of Tumorigenicity 2 (ST2), C-X-C motif chemokine ligand (CXCL)10, and Secreted phosphoprotein 1(SPP1), following the MSC treatment. Repeated MSC infusions proved to be both feasible and safe, and they may be an effective salvage therapy in patients with steroid-refractory cGVHD. Further large-scale clinical studies with long-term follow-up are needed in the future to determine the role of MSCs in cGVHD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nayoun Kim
- Institute for Translational Research and Molecular Imaging, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul 06591, Republic of Korea; (N.K.); (G.-J.M.); (K.-I.I.); (Y.-S.N.); (Y.S.); (J.-S.L.)
| | - Gi-June Min
- Institute for Translational Research and Molecular Imaging, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul 06591, Republic of Korea; (N.K.); (G.-J.M.); (K.-I.I.); (Y.-S.N.); (Y.S.); (J.-S.L.)
- Department of Hematology, Seoul St. Mary’s Hematology Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul 06591, Republic of Korea; (N.-G.C.); (J.W.L.)
| | - Keon-Il Im
- Institute for Translational Research and Molecular Imaging, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul 06591, Republic of Korea; (N.K.); (G.-J.M.); (K.-I.I.); (Y.-S.N.); (Y.S.); (J.-S.L.)
| | - Young-Sun Nam
- Institute for Translational Research and Molecular Imaging, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul 06591, Republic of Korea; (N.K.); (G.-J.M.); (K.-I.I.); (Y.-S.N.); (Y.S.); (J.-S.L.)
| | - Yunejin Song
- Institute for Translational Research and Molecular Imaging, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul 06591, Republic of Korea; (N.K.); (G.-J.M.); (K.-I.I.); (Y.-S.N.); (Y.S.); (J.-S.L.)
| | - Jun-Seok Lee
- Institute for Translational Research and Molecular Imaging, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul 06591, Republic of Korea; (N.K.); (G.-J.M.); (K.-I.I.); (Y.-S.N.); (Y.S.); (J.-S.L.)
| | - Eun-Jee Oh
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Seoul St. Mary’s Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul 06591, Republic of Korea;
| | - Nack-Gyun Chung
- Department of Hematology, Seoul St. Mary’s Hematology Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul 06591, Republic of Korea; (N.-G.C.); (J.W.L.)
| | - Young-Woo Jeon
- Department of Hematology, Yeouido St. Mary’s Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul 06591, Republic of Korea;
| | - Jong Wook Lee
- Department of Hematology, Seoul St. Mary’s Hematology Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul 06591, Republic of Korea; (N.-G.C.); (J.W.L.)
| | - Seok-Goo Cho
- Institute for Translational Research and Molecular Imaging, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul 06591, Republic of Korea; (N.K.); (G.-J.M.); (K.-I.I.); (Y.-S.N.); (Y.S.); (J.-S.L.)
- Department of Hematology, Seoul St. Mary’s Hematology Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul 06591, Republic of Korea; (N.-G.C.); (J.W.L.)
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Farabi B, Roster K, Hirani R, Tepper K, Atak MF, Safai B. The Efficacy of Stem Cells in Wound Healing: A Systematic Review. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:3006. [PMID: 38474251 PMCID: PMC10931571 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25053006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2024] [Revised: 02/18/2024] [Accepted: 02/29/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Wound healing is an intricate process involving coordinated interactions among inflammatory cells, skin fibroblasts, keratinocytes, and endothelial cells. Successful tissue repair hinges on controlled inflammation, angiogenesis, and remodeling facilitated by the exchange of cytokines and growth factors. Comorbid conditions can disrupt this process, leading to significant morbidity and mortality. Stem cell therapy has emerged as a promising strategy for enhancing wound healing, utilizing cells from diverse sources such as endothelial progenitor cells, bone marrow, adipose tissue, dermal, and inducible pluripotent stem cells. In this systematic review, we comprehensively investigated stem cell therapies in chronic wounds, summarizing the clinical, translational, and primary literature. A systematic search across PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Google Scholar, and Cochrane Library yielded 22,454 articles, reduced to 44 studies after rigorous screening. Notably, adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells (AD-MSCs) emerged as an optimal choice due to their abundant supply, easy isolation, ex vivo proliferative capacities, and pro-angiogenic factor secretion. AD-MSCs have shown efficacy in various conditions, including peripheral arterial disease, diabetic wounds, hypertensive ulcers, bullous diabeticorum, venous ulcers, and post-Mohs micrographic surgery wounds. Delivery methods varied, encompassing topical application, scaffold incorporation, combination with plasma-rich proteins, and atelocollagen administration. Integration with local wound care practices resulted in reduced pain, shorter healing times, and improved cosmesis. Stem cell transplantation represents a potential therapeutic avenue, as transplanted stem cells not only differentiate into diverse skin cell types but also release essential cytokines and growth factors, fostering increased angiogenesis. This approach holds promise for intractable wounds, particularly chronic lower-leg wounds, and as a post-Mohs micrographic surgery intervention for healing defects through secondary intention. The potential reduction in healthcare costs and enhancement of patient quality of life further underscore the attractiveness of stem cell applications in wound care. This systematic review explores the clinical utilization of stem cells and stem cell products, providing valuable insights into their role as ancillary methods in treating chronic wounds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Banu Farabi
- Department of Dermatology, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY 10595, USA;
- Department of Dermatology, NYC H+Health Hospitals/Metropolitan Hospital Center, New York, NY 10029, USA
- Department of Dermatology, NYC H+Health Hospitals/South Brooklyn Health, Brooklyn, NY 11235, USA
| | - Katie Roster
- School of Medicine, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY 10595, USA; (K.R.); (R.H.)
| | - Rahim Hirani
- School of Medicine, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY 10595, USA; (K.R.); (R.H.)
| | - Katharine Tepper
- Phillip Capozzi, M.D. Library, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY 10595, USA;
| | - Mehmet Fatih Atak
- Department of Internal Medicine, NYC H+Health Hospitals/Metropolitan Hospital Center, New York, NY 10029, USA;
| | - Bijan Safai
- Department of Dermatology, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY 10595, USA;
- Department of Dermatology, NYC H+Health Hospitals/Metropolitan Hospital Center, New York, NY 10029, USA
- Department of Dermatology, NYC H+Health Hospitals/South Brooklyn Health, Brooklyn, NY 11235, USA
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Wu M, Mi J, Qu GX, Zhang S, Jian Y, Gao C, Cai Q, Liu J, Jiang J, Huang H. Role of Hedgehog Signaling Pathways in Multipotent Mesenchymal Stem Cells Differentiation. Cell Transplant 2024; 33:9636897241244943. [PMID: 38695366 PMCID: PMC11067683 DOI: 10.1177/09636897241244943] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2023] [Revised: 03/09/2024] [Accepted: 03/14/2024] [Indexed: 05/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Multipotent mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have high self-renewal and multi-lineage differentiation potentials and low immunogenicity, so they have attracted much attention in the field of regenerative medicine and have a promising clinical application. MSCs originate from the mesoderm and can differentiate not only into osteoblasts, cartilage, adipocytes, and muscle cells but also into ectodermal and endodermal cell lineages across embryonic layers. To design cell therapy for replacement of damaged tissues, it is essential to understand the signaling pathways, which have a major impact on MSC differentiation, as this will help to integrate the signaling inputs to initiate a specific lineage. Hedgehog (Hh) signaling plays a vital role in the development of various tissues and organs in the embryo. As a morphogen, Hh not only regulates the survival and proliferation of tissue progenitor and stem populations but also is a critical moderator of MSC differentiation, involving tri-lineage and across embryonic layer differentiation of MSCs. This review summarizes the role of Hh signaling pathway in the differentiation of MSCs to mesodermal, endodermal, and ectodermal cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengyu Wu
- Department of Trauma Medical Center, Daping Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Trauma and Chemical Poisoning, Army Medical University, Chongqing, China
- College of Bioengineering, Chongqing University, Chongqing, China
| | - Junwei Mi
- Department of Trauma Medical Center, Daping Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Trauma and Chemical Poisoning, Army Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Guo-xin Qu
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Hainan Medical University, Haikou, China
| | - Shu Zhang
- Department of Trauma Medical Center, Daping Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Trauma and Chemical Poisoning, Army Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Yi Jian
- Department of Trauma Medical Center, Daping Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Trauma and Chemical Poisoning, Army Medical University, Chongqing, China
- College of Bioengineering, Chongqing University, Chongqing, China
| | - Chu Gao
- Department of Trauma Medical Center, Daping Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Trauma and Chemical Poisoning, Army Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Qingli Cai
- Department of Trauma Medical Center, Daping Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Trauma and Chemical Poisoning, Army Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Jing Liu
- Department of Trauma Medical Center, Daping Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Trauma and Chemical Poisoning, Army Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Jianxin Jiang
- Department of Trauma Medical Center, Daping Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Trauma and Chemical Poisoning, Army Medical University, Chongqing, China
- College of Bioengineering, Chongqing University, Chongqing, China
| | - Hong Huang
- Department of Trauma Medical Center, Daping Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Trauma and Chemical Poisoning, Army Medical University, Chongqing, China
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Baumrin E, Loren AW, Falk SJ, Mays JW, Cowen EW. Chronic graft-versus-host disease. Part II: Disease activity grading and therapeutic management. J Am Acad Dermatol 2024; 90:19-36. [PMID: 36572064 PMCID: PMC10287839 DOI: 10.1016/j.jaad.2022.12.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2022] [Revised: 12/08/2022] [Accepted: 12/15/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Chronic graft-versus-host disease (cGVHD) is a major complication of allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation and a leading cause of long-term morbidity, nonrelapse mortality, and impaired health-related quality of life. The skin is commonly affected and presents heterogeneously, making the role of dermatologists critical in both diagnosis and treatment. In addition, new clinical classification and grading schemes inform treatment algorithms, which now include 3 Federal Drug Administration-approved therapies, and evolving transplant techniques are changing disease epidemiology. Part I reviews the epidemiology, pathogenesis, clinical manifestations, and diagnosis of cGVHD. Part II discusses disease grading and therapeutic management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily Baumrin
- Department of Dermatology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
| | - Alison W Loren
- Blood and Marrow Transplant, Cell Therapy and Transplant Program, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Division of Hematology/Oncology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Sandy J Falk
- Adult Survivorship Program, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Jacqueline W Mays
- Oral Immunobiology Unit, National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Edward W Cowen
- Dermatology Branch, National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
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Bai X, Chen T, Li Y, Ge X, Qiu C, Gou H, Wei S, Liu T, Yang W, Yang L, Liang Y, Jia Z, Lv L, Li T. PD-L1 expression levels in mesenchymal stromal cells predict their therapeutic values for autoimmune hepatitis. Stem Cell Res Ther 2023; 14:370. [PMID: 38111045 PMCID: PMC10729378 DOI: 10.1186/s13287-023-03594-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2023] [Accepted: 11/29/2023] [Indexed: 12/20/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Autoimmune hepatitis is a chronic inflammatory hepatic disorder with no effective treatment. Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) have emerged as a promising treatment owing to their unique advantages. However, their heterogeneity is hampering use in clinical applications. METHODS Wharton's jelly derived MSCs (WJ-MSCs) were isolated from 58 human donors using current good manufacturing practice conditions. Gene expression profiles of the WJ-MSCs were analyzed by transcriptome and single-cell RNA-sequencing (scRNA-seq), and subsequent functional differences were assessed. Expression levels of programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) were used as an indicator to screen WJ-MSCs with varied immunomodulation activities and assessed their corresponding therapeutic effects in a mouse model of concanavalin A-induced autoimmune hepatitis. RESULTS The 58 different donor-derived WJ-MSCs were grouped into six gene expression profile clusters. The gene in different clusters displayed obvious variations in cell proliferation, differentiation bias, trophic factor secretion, and immunoregulation. Data of scRNA-seq revealed four distinct WJ-MSCs subpopulations. Notably, the different immunosuppression capacities of WJ-MSCs were positively correlated with PD-L1 expression. WJ-MSCs with high expression of PD-L1 were therapeutically superior to WJ-MSCs with low PD-L1 expression in treating autoimmune hepatitis. CONCLUSION PD-L1 expression levels of WJ-MSCs could be regarded as an indicator to choose optimal MSCs for treating autoimmune disease. These findings provided novel insights into the quality control of MSCs and will inform improvements in the therapeutic benefits of MSCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xilong Bai
- State Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research, Institute of Primate Translational Medicine, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, 650500, Yunnan, China
- Xi'an ChaoYue Stem Cell Co., Ltd, Xi'an, 710100, Shaanxi, China
- Department of Hematology, Xi'an International Medical Center Hospital, Xi'an, 710100, Shaanxi, China
| | - Tingwei Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research, Institute of Primate Translational Medicine, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, 650500, Yunnan, China
| | - Yuqi Li
- State Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research, Institute of Primate Translational Medicine, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, 650500, Yunnan, China
| | - Xiaofan Ge
- Xi'an ChaoYue Stem Cell Co., Ltd, Xi'an, 710100, Shaanxi, China
| | - Caie Qiu
- Xi'an ChaoYue Stem Cell Co., Ltd, Xi'an, 710100, Shaanxi, China
| | - Huili Gou
- Xi'an ChaoYue Stem Cell Co., Ltd, Xi'an, 710100, Shaanxi, China
| | - Sili Wei
- Xi'an ChaoYue Stem Cell Co., Ltd, Xi'an, 710100, Shaanxi, China
| | - Tingting Liu
- Xi'an ChaoYue Stem Cell Co., Ltd, Xi'an, 710100, Shaanxi, China
| | - Wei Yang
- Xi'an ChaoYue Stem Cell Co., Ltd, Xi'an, 710100, Shaanxi, China
| | - Liting Yang
- Xi'an ChaoYue Stem Cell Co., Ltd, Xi'an, 710100, Shaanxi, China
| | - Yingmin Liang
- Department of Hematology, Xi'an International Medical Center Hospital, Xi'an, 710100, Shaanxi, China
| | - Zhansheng Jia
- Department of Infection and Liver Disease, Xi'an International Medical Center Hospital, Xi'an, 710100, Shaanxi, China
| | - Liangshan Lv
- Department of Minimally Invasive Interventional Radiology, Xi'an Gaoxin Hospital, Xi'an, , 710075, Shaanxi, China
| | - Tianqing Li
- State Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research, Institute of Primate Translational Medicine, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, 650500, Yunnan, China.
- Xi'an ChaoYue Stem Cell Co., Ltd, Xi'an, 710100, Shaanxi, China.
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Yang H, Cheong S, He Y, Lu F. Mesenchymal stem cell-based therapy for autoimmune-related fibrotic skin diseases-systemic sclerosis and sclerodermatous graft-versus-host disease. Stem Cell Res Ther 2023; 14:372. [PMID: 38111001 PMCID: PMC10729330 DOI: 10.1186/s13287-023-03543-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2023] [Accepted: 10/23/2023] [Indexed: 12/20/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Systemic sclerosis (SSc) and sclerodermatous graft-versus-host disease (Scl-GVHD)-characterized by similar developmental fibrosis, vascular abnormalities, and innate and adaptive immune response, resulting in severe skin fibrosis at the late stage-are chronic autoimmune diseases of connective tissue. The significant immune system dysfunction, distinguishing autoimmune-related fibrosis from mere skin fibrosis, should be a particular focus of treating autoimmune-related fibrosis. Recent research shows that innovative mesenchymal stem cell (MSC)-based therapy, with the capacities of immune regulation, inflammation suppression, oxidation inhibition, and fibrosis restraint, shows great promise in overcoming the disease. MAIN BODY This review of recent studies aims to summarize the therapeutic effect and theoretical mechanisms of MSC-based therapy in treating autoimmune-related fibrotic skin diseases, SSc and Scl-GVHD, providing novel insights and references for further clinical applications. It is noteworthy that the efficacy of MSCs is not reliant on their migration into the skin. Working on the immune system, MSCs can inhibit the chemotaxis and infiltration of immune cells to the skin by down-regulating the expression of skin chemokines and chemokine receptors and reducing the inflammatory and pro-fibrotic mediators. Furthermore, to reduce levels of oxidative stress, MSCs may improve vascular abnormalities, and enhance the antioxidant defenses through inducible nitric oxide synthase, thioredoxin 1, as well as other mediators. The oxidative stress environment does not weaken MSCs and may even strengthen certain functions. Regarding fibrosis, MSCs primarily target the transforming growth factor-β signaling pathway to inhibit fibroblast activation. Here, miRNAs may play a critical role in ECM remodeling. Clinical studies have demonstrated the safety of these approaches, though outcomes have varied, possibly owing to the heterogeneity of MSCs, the disorders themselves, and other factors. Nevertheless, the research clearly reveals the immense potential of MSCs in treating autoimmune-related fibrotic skin diseases. CONCLUSION The application of MSCs presents a promising approach for treating autoimmune-related fibrotic skin diseases: SSc and Scl-GVHD. Therapies involving MSCs and MSC extracellular vesicles have been found to operate through three primary mechanisms: rebalancing the immune and inflammatory disorders, resisting oxidant stress, and inhibiting overactivated fibrosis (including fibroblast activation and ECM remodeling). However, the effectiveness of these interventions requires further validation through extensive clinical investigations, particularly randomized control trials and phase III/IV clinical trials. Additionally, the hypothetical mechanism underlying these therapies could be elucidated through further research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Han Yang
- The Department of Plastic and Cosmetic Surgery, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, 1838 Guangzhou North Road, Guangzhou, 510515, Guangdong, China
| | - Sousan Cheong
- The Department of Plastic and Cosmetic Surgery, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, 1838 Guangzhou North Road, Guangzhou, 510515, Guangdong, China
| | - Yunfan He
- The Department of Plastic and Cosmetic Surgery, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, 1838 Guangzhou North Road, Guangzhou, 510515, Guangdong, China.
| | - Feng Lu
- The Department of Plastic and Cosmetic Surgery, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, 1838 Guangzhou North Road, Guangzhou, 510515, Guangdong, China.
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Hong J, Fraebel J, Yang Y, Tkacyk E, Kitko C, Kim TK. Understanding and treatment of cutaneous graft-versus-host-disease. Bone Marrow Transplant 2023; 58:1298-1313. [PMID: 37730800 DOI: 10.1038/s41409-023-02109-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2023] [Revised: 08/28/2023] [Accepted: 09/08/2023] [Indexed: 09/22/2023]
Abstract
The skin is the outermost mechanical barrier where dynamic immune reactions take place and is the most commonly affected site in both acute and chronic graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). If not properly treated, pain and pruritis resulting from cutaneous GVHD can increase the risk of secondary infection due to erosions, ulcerations, and damage of underlying tissues. Furthermore, resulting disfiguration can cause distress and significantly impact patients' quality of life. Thus, a deeper understanding of skin-specific findings of GVHD is needed. This review will highlight some promising results of recent pre-clinical studies on the pathophysiology of skin GVHD and summarize the diagnostic and staging/grading procedures according to the clinical manifestations of skin GVHD. In addition, we will summarize outcomes of various GVHD treatments, including skin-specific response rates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junshik Hong
- Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Cancer Research Institute, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Johnathan Fraebel
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Yenny Yang
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Eric Tkacyk
- Veterans Affairs Tennessee Valley Health Care, Nashville, TN, USA
- Department of Dermatology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Carrie Kitko
- Monroe Carell Jr Children's Hospital, Vanderbilt Division of Pediatric Hematology-Oncology, Nashville, TN, USA
- Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Tae Kon Kim
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA.
- Veterans Affairs Tennessee Valley Health Care, Nashville, TN, USA.
- Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center, Nashville, TN, USA.
- Vanderbilt Center for Immunobiology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA.
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Mohseni R, Mahdavi Sharif P, Behfar M, Modaresi MR, Shirzadi R, Mardani M, Jafari L, Jafari F, Nikfetrat Z, Hamidieh AA. Evaluation of safety and efficacy of allogeneic adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells in pediatric bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome (BoS) after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT). Stem Cell Res Ther 2023; 14:256. [PMID: 37726865 PMCID: PMC10510238 DOI: 10.1186/s13287-023-03498-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2023] [Accepted: 09/13/2023] [Indexed: 09/21/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Allo-HSCT is a definite approach for the management of a wide variety of lethal and debilitating malignant and non-malignant disorders. However, its two main complications, acute and chronic graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), exert significant morbidities and mortalities. BoS, as a manifestation of chronic lung GVHD, is a gruesome complication of allo-HSCT, and for those with steroid-refractory disease, no approved second-line therapies exist. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) exert anti-inflammatory and growth-promoting effects, and their administration against a wide range of inflammatory and neurologic disorders, as well as GVHD, has been associated with promising outcomes. However, literature on the safety and effectiveness of MSC therapy for BoS and pediatric cGVHD is scarce. METHODS We designed a single-arm trial to administer adipose tissue (AT)-derived MSCs to pediatric patients with refractory BoS after allo-HSCT. AT-MSCs from obese, otherwise healthy donors were cultured in an ISO class 1 clean room and injected into the antecubital vein of eligible patients with a dose of 1 × 106/kg. The primary endpoints included a complete or partial response to therapy [in terms of increased forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) values and steroid dose reduction] and its safety profile. RESULTS Four eligible patients with a median age of 6.5 years were enrolled in the study. Steroid-induced osteoporosis and myopathy were present in three cases. A partial response was evident in three cases after a single injection of AT-MSCs. The treatment was safe and tolerable, and no treatment-related adverse events were noted. Two patients developed manageable COVID-19 infections one and 4 months after AT-MSC injection. After a median follow-up duration of 19 months, all cases are still alive and have had no indications for lung transplantation. CONCLUSIONS AT-MSCs could be safely administered to our pediatric cases with BoS post-allo-HSCT. Considering their advanced stage of disease, their sub-optimal functional capacity due to steroid-induced complications, and COVID-19 infection post-treatment, we believe that AT-MSC therapy can have possible efficacy in the management of pediatric BoS. The conduction of further studies with larger sample sizes and more frequent injections is prudent for further optimization of AT-MSC therapy against BoS. Trial registration Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials (IRCT), IRCT20201202049568N2. Registered 22 February 2021, https://en.irct.ir/trial/53143 .
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Affiliation(s)
- Rashin Mohseni
- Pediatric Cell and Gene Therapy Research Center, Gene, Cell and Tissue Research Institute, Children's Medical Center Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, 63 Qarib St., Keshavarz Blvd., Tehran, 14155-6559, 1419733161, Iran
| | - Pouya Mahdavi Sharif
- Pediatric Cell and Gene Therapy Research Center, Gene, Cell and Tissue Research Institute, Children's Medical Center Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, 63 Qarib St., Keshavarz Blvd., Tehran, 14155-6559, 1419733161, Iran
| | - Maryam Behfar
- Pediatric Cell and Gene Therapy Research Center, Gene, Cell and Tissue Research Institute, Children's Medical Center Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, 63 Qarib St., Keshavarz Blvd., Tehran, 14155-6559, 1419733161, Iran
| | - Mohammad Reza Modaresi
- Pediatric Respiratory and Sleep Medicine Research Center, Children's Medical Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Rohola Shirzadi
- Pediatric Pulmonary Disease and Sleep Medicine Research Center, Pediatric Center of Excellence, Children's Medical Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mahta Mardani
- Pediatric Cell and Gene Therapy Research Center, Gene, Cell and Tissue Research Institute, Children's Medical Center Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, 63 Qarib St., Keshavarz Blvd., Tehran, 14155-6559, 1419733161, Iran
| | - Leila Jafari
- Pediatric Cell and Gene Therapy Research Center, Gene, Cell and Tissue Research Institute, Children's Medical Center Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, 63 Qarib St., Keshavarz Blvd., Tehran, 14155-6559, 1419733161, Iran
| | - Fahimeh Jafari
- Pediatric Cell and Gene Therapy Research Center, Gene, Cell and Tissue Research Institute, Children's Medical Center Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, 63 Qarib St., Keshavarz Blvd., Tehran, 14155-6559, 1419733161, Iran
| | - Zeynab Nikfetrat
- Pediatric Cell and Gene Therapy Research Center, Gene, Cell and Tissue Research Institute, Children's Medical Center Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, 63 Qarib St., Keshavarz Blvd., Tehran, 14155-6559, 1419733161, Iran
| | - Amir Ali Hamidieh
- Pediatric Cell and Gene Therapy Research Center, Gene, Cell and Tissue Research Institute, Children's Medical Center Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, 63 Qarib St., Keshavarz Blvd., Tehran, 14155-6559, 1419733161, Iran.
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9
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Mendiratta M, Mendiratta M, Mohanty S, Sahoo RK, Prakash H. Breaking the graft-versus-host-disease barrier: Mesenchymal stromal/stem cells as precision healers. Int Rev Immunol 2023; 43:95-112. [PMID: 37639700 DOI: 10.1080/08830185.2023.2252007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2023] [Revised: 08/08/2023] [Accepted: 08/21/2023] [Indexed: 08/31/2023]
Abstract
Mesenchymal Stromal/Stem Cells (MSCs) are multipotent, non-hematopoietic progenitor cells with a wide range of immune modulation and regenerative potential which qualify them as a potential component of cell-based therapy for various autoimmune/chronic inflammatory ailments. Their immunomodulatory properties include the secretion of immunosuppressive cytokines, the ability to suppress T-cell activation and differentiation, and the induction of regulatory T-cells. Considering this and our interest, we here discuss the significance of MSC for the management of Graft-versus-Host-Disease (GvHD), one of the autoimmune manifestations in human. In pre-clinical models, MSCs have been shown to reduce the severity of GvHD symptoms, including skin and gut damage, which are the most common and debilitating manifestations of this disease. While initial clinical studies of MSCs in GvHD cases were promising, the results were variable in randomized studies. So, further studies are warranted to fully understand their potential benefits, safety profile, and optimal dosing regimens. Owing to these inevitable issues, here we discuss various mechanisms, and how MSCs can be employed in managing GvHD, as a cellular therapeutic approach for this disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohini Mendiratta
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dr. B. R. Ambedkar Institute Rotary Cancer Hospital, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India
| | | | - Sujata Mohanty
- Stem Cell Facility, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India
| | - Ranjit Kumar Sahoo
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dr. B. R. Ambedkar Institute Rotary Cancer Hospital, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India
| | - Hridayesh Prakash
- Amity Centre for Translational Research, Amity University, Noida, India
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10
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Ren J, Szombath G, Vitale-Cross L, Stroncek DF, Robey PG, Hajdara A, Szalayova I, Mayer B, Martin D, Mezey E, Nemeth K. The Potential Use of THP-1, a Monocytic Leukemia Cell Line, to Predict Immune-Suppressive Potency of Human Bone-Marrow Stromal Cells (BMSCs) In Vitro: A Pilot Study. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:13258. [PMID: 37686058 PMCID: PMC10488111 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241713258] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2023] [Revised: 08/20/2023] [Accepted: 08/23/2023] [Indexed: 09/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Adoptive transfer of cultured BMSCs was shown to be immune-suppressive in various inflammatory settings. Many factors play a role in the process, but no master regulator of BMSC-driven immunomodulation was identified. Consequently, an assay that might predict BMSC product efficacy is still unavailable. Below, we show that BMSC donor variability can be monitored by IL-10 production of monocytes/macrophages using THP-1 cells (immortalized monocytic leukemia cells) co-cultured with BMSCs. Using a mixed lymphocyte reaction (MLR) assay, we also compared the ability of the different donor BMSCs to suppress T-cell proliferation, another measure of their immune-suppressive ability. We found that the BMSCs from a donor that induced the most IL-10 production were also the most efficient in suppressing T-cell proliferation. Transcriptome studies showed that the most potent BMSC batch also had higher expression of several known key immunomodulatory molecules such as hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), PDL1, and numerous members of the PGE2 pathway, including PTGS1 and TLR4. Multiplex ELISA experiments revealed higher expression of HGF and IL6 by the most potent BMSC donor. Based on these findings, we propose that THP-1 cells may be used to assess BMSC immunosuppressive activity as a product characterization assay.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiaqiang Ren
- Center for Cellular Engineering, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA; (J.R.); (D.F.S.)
| | - Gergely Szombath
- Department of Internal Medicine and Hematology, Semmelweis University, 1085 Budapest, Hungary;
- Károly Rácz Doctoral School of Clinical Medicine, Semmelweis University, 1085 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Lynn Vitale-Cross
- Adult Stem Cell Section, National Institutes of Dental and Craniofacial Research, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA; (L.V.-C.); (I.S.)
| | - David F. Stroncek
- Center for Cellular Engineering, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA; (J.R.); (D.F.S.)
| | - Pamela G. Robey
- Skeletal Biology Section, National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA;
| | - Anna Hajdara
- Roska Tamás Doctoral School of Sciences and Technology, Faculty of Information Technology and Bionics, Pázmány Péter Catholic University, 1083 Budapest, Hungary;
- Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Dermatooncology, Semmelweis University, 1085 Budapest, Hungary;
| | - Ildiko Szalayova
- Adult Stem Cell Section, National Institutes of Dental and Craniofacial Research, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA; (L.V.-C.); (I.S.)
| | - Balazs Mayer
- Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Dermatooncology, Semmelweis University, 1085 Budapest, Hungary;
| | - Daniel Martin
- Genomics and Computational Biology Core, NIDCR, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA;
| | - Eva Mezey
- Adult Stem Cell Section, National Institutes of Dental and Craniofacial Research, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA; (L.V.-C.); (I.S.)
| | - Krisztian Nemeth
- Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Dermatooncology, Semmelweis University, 1085 Budapest, Hungary;
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11
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Jakl V, Popp T, Haupt J, Port M, Roesler R, Wiese S, Friemert B, Rojewski MT, Schrezenmeier H. Effect of Expansion Media on Functional Characteristics of Bone Marrow-Derived Mesenchymal Stromal Cells. Cells 2023; 12:2105. [PMID: 37626914 PMCID: PMC10453497 DOI: 10.3390/cells12162105] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2023] [Revised: 08/07/2023] [Accepted: 08/16/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
The therapeutic efficacy of mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) has been shown to rely on their immunomodulatory and regenerative properties. In order to obtain sufficient numbers of cells for clinical applications, MSCs have to be expanded ex vivo. Expansion media with xenogeneic-free (XF) growth-promoting supplements like human platelet lysate (PL) or serum- and xenogeneic-free (SF/XF) formulations have been established as safe and efficient, and both groups provide different beneficial qualities. In this study, MSCs were expanded in XF or SF/XF media as well as in mixtures thereof. MSCs cultured in these media were analyzed for phenotypic and functional properties. MSC expansion was optimal with SF/XF conditions when PL was present. Metabolic patterns, consumption of growth factors, and secretome of MSCs differed depending on the type and concentration of supplement. The lactate per glucose yield increased along with a higher proportion of PL. Many factors in the supernatant of cultured MSCs showed distinct patterns depending on the supplement (e.g., FGF-2, TGFβ, and insulin only in PL-expanded MSC, and leptin, sCD40L PDGF-AA only in SF/XF-expanded MSC). This also resulted in changes in cell characteristics like migratory potential. These findings support current approaches where growth media may be utilized for priming MSCs for specific therapeutic applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Viktoria Jakl
- Institute for Transfusion Medicine, University Hospital Ulm, 89081 Ulm, Germany; (V.J.)
| | - Tanja Popp
- Bundeswehr Institute of Radiobiology, 80937 Munich, Germany (J.H.); (M.P.)
| | - Julian Haupt
- Bundeswehr Institute of Radiobiology, 80937 Munich, Germany (J.H.); (M.P.)
- Clinic for Trauma Surgery and Orthopedics, Army Hospital Ulm, 89081 Ulm, Germany
| | - Matthias Port
- Bundeswehr Institute of Radiobiology, 80937 Munich, Germany (J.H.); (M.P.)
| | - Reinhild Roesler
- Core Unit of Mass Spectrometry and Proteomics, Ulm University Medical Center, 89081 Ulm, Germany; (R.R.); (S.W.)
| | - Sebastian Wiese
- Core Unit of Mass Spectrometry and Proteomics, Ulm University Medical Center, 89081 Ulm, Germany; (R.R.); (S.W.)
| | - Benedikt Friemert
- Clinic for Trauma Surgery and Orthopedics, Army Hospital Ulm, 89081 Ulm, Germany
| | - Markus T. Rojewski
- Institute for Transfusion Medicine, University Hospital Ulm, 89081 Ulm, Germany; (V.J.)
- Institute for Clinical Transfusion Medicine and Immunogenetics Ulm, German Red Cross Blood Donation Service Baden-Württemberg—Hessia and University Hospital Ulm, 89081 Ulm, Germany
| | - Hubert Schrezenmeier
- Institute for Transfusion Medicine, University Hospital Ulm, 89081 Ulm, Germany; (V.J.)
- Institute for Clinical Transfusion Medicine and Immunogenetics Ulm, German Red Cross Blood Donation Service Baden-Württemberg—Hessia and University Hospital Ulm, 89081 Ulm, Germany
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12
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Maldonado VV, Patel NH, Smith EE, Barnes CL, Gustafson MP, Rao RR, Samsonraj RM. Clinical utility of mesenchymal stem/stromal cells in regenerative medicine and cellular therapy. J Biol Eng 2023; 17:44. [PMID: 37434264 DOI: 10.1186/s13036-023-00361-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2022] [Accepted: 06/19/2023] [Indexed: 07/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (MSCs) have been carefully examined to have tremendous potential in regenerative medicine. With their immunomodulatory and regenerative properties, MSCs have numerous applications within the clinical sector. MSCs have the properties of multilineage differentiation, paracrine signaling, and can be isolated from various tissues, which makes them a key candidate for applications in numerous organ systems. To accentuate the importance of MSC therapy for a range of clinical indications, this review highlights MSC-specific studies on the musculoskeletal, nervous, cardiovascular, and immune systems where most trials are reported. Furthermore, an updated list of the different types of MSCs used in clinical trials, as well as the key characteristics of each type of MSCs are included. Many of the studies mentioned revolve around the properties of MSC, such as exosome usage and MSC co-cultures with other cell types. It is worth noting that MSC clinical usage is not limited to these four systems, and MSCs continue to be tested to repair, regenerate, or modulate other diseased or injured organ systems. This review provides an updated compilation of MSCs in clinical trials that paves the way for improvement in the field of MSC therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vitali V Maldonado
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Arkansas, 790 W Dickson St, Fayetteville, AR, USA
| | - Neel H Patel
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Arkansas, 790 W Dickson St, Fayetteville, AR, USA
| | - Emma E Smith
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Arkansas, 790 W Dickson St, Fayetteville, AR, USA
| | - C Lowry Barnes
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, USA
| | | | - Raj R Rao
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Arkansas, 790 W Dickson St, Fayetteville, AR, USA
- Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Cell and Molecular Biology, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR, USA
| | - Rebekah M Samsonraj
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Arkansas, 790 W Dickson St, Fayetteville, AR, USA.
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, USA.
- Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Cell and Molecular Biology, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR, USA.
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13
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Haroun E, Agrawal K, Leibovitch J, Kassab J, Zoghbi M, Dutta D, Lim SH. Chronic graft-versus-host disease in pediatric patients: Differences and challenges. Blood Rev 2023; 60:101054. [PMID: 36805299 DOI: 10.1016/j.blre.2023.101054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2022] [Revised: 01/31/2023] [Accepted: 02/02/2023] [Indexed: 02/10/2023]
Abstract
Despite the use of high-resolution molecular techniques for tissue typing, chronic graft-versus-host disease (cGVHD) remains a major complication following allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant. cGVHD adversely affects the life-expectancy and quality of life. The latter is particularly important and functionally relevant in pediatric patients who have a longer life-expectancy than adults. Current laboratory evidence suggests that there is not any difference in the pathophysiology of cGVHD between adults and pediatric patients. However, there are some clinical features and complications of the disease that are different in pediatric patients. There are also challenges in the development of new therapeutics for this group of patients. In this review, we will discuss the epidemiology, pathophysiology, clinical features and consequences of the disease, and highlight the differences between pediatric and adult patients. We will examine the current treatment options for pediatric patients with moderate to severe cGVHD and discuss the challenges facing therapeutic development for cGVHD in the pediatric population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elio Haroun
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, State University of New York Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY, United States of America
| | - Kavita Agrawal
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, State University of New York Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY, United States of America
| | - Jennifer Leibovitch
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, State University of New York Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY, United States of America
| | - Joseph Kassab
- Department of Medicine, Saint-Joseph University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Marianne Zoghbi
- Department of Medicine, Saint-Joseph University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Dibyendu Dutta
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, State University of New York Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY, United States of America
| | - Seah H Lim
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, State University of New York Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY, United States of America,; Sanofi Oncology, Cambridge, MA, United States of America.
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14
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Gail LM, Schell KJ, Łacina P, Strobl J, Bolton SJ, Steinbakk Ulriksen E, Bogunia-Kubik K, Greinix H, Crossland RE, Inngjerdingen M, Stary G. Complex interactions of cellular players in chronic Graft-versus-Host Disease. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1199422. [PMID: 37435079 PMCID: PMC10332803 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1199422] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2023] [Accepted: 06/07/2023] [Indexed: 07/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Chronic Graft-versus-Host Disease is a life-threatening inflammatory condition that affects many patients after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Although we have made substantial progress in understanding disease pathogenesis and the role of specific immune cell subsets, treatment options are still limited. To date, we lack a global understanding of the interplay between the different cellular players involved, in the affected tissues and at different stages of disease development and progression. In this review we summarize our current knowledge on pathogenic and protective mechanisms elicited by the major involved immune subsets, being T cells, B cells, NK cells and antigen presenting cells, as well as the microbiome, with a special focus on intercellular communication of these cell types via extracellular vesicles as up-and-coming fields in chronic Graft-versus-Host Disease research. Lastly, we discuss the importance of understanding systemic and local aberrant cell communication during disease for defining better biomarkers and therapeutic targets, eventually enabling the design of personalized treatment schemes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Marie Gail
- Department of Dermatology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- CeMM Research Center for Molecular Medicine of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna, Austria
| | - Kimberly Julia Schell
- Translational and Clinical Research Institute, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom
| | - Piotr Łacina
- Laboratory of Clinical Immunogenetics and Pharmacogenetics, Hirszfeld Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy, Polish Academy of Sciences, Wrocław, Poland
| | - Johanna Strobl
- Department of Dermatology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- CeMM Research Center for Molecular Medicine of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna, Austria
| | - Steven J. Bolton
- Translational and Clinical Research Institute, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom
| | | | - Katarzyna Bogunia-Kubik
- Laboratory of Clinical Immunogenetics and Pharmacogenetics, Hirszfeld Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy, Polish Academy of Sciences, Wrocław, Poland
| | - Hildegard Greinix
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Hematology, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria
| | - Rachel Emily Crossland
- Translational and Clinical Research Institute, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom
| | | | - Georg Stary
- Department of Dermatology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- CeMM Research Center for Molecular Medicine of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna, Austria
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15
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Lu D, Lu J, Liu Q, Zhang Q. Emerging role of the RNA-editing enzyme ADAR1 in stem cell fate and function. Biomark Res 2023; 11:61. [PMID: 37280687 DOI: 10.1186/s40364-023-00503-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2023] [Accepted: 05/13/2023] [Indexed: 06/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Stem cells are critical for organism development and the maintenance of tissue homeostasis. Recent studies focusing on RNA editing have indicated how this mark controls stem cell fate and function in both normal and malignant states. RNA editing is mainly mediated by adenosine deaminase acting on RNA 1 (ADAR1). The RNA editing enzyme ADAR1 converts adenosine in a double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) substrate into inosine. ADAR1 is a multifunctional protein that regulate physiological processes including embryonic development, cell differentiation, and immune regulation, and even apply to the development of gene editing technologies. In this review, we summarize the structure and function of ADAR1 with a focus on how it can mediate distinct functions in stem cell self-renewal and differentiation. Targeting ADAR1 has emerged as a potential novel therapeutic strategy in both normal and dysregulated stem cell contexts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Di Lu
- The Biotherapy Center, the Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, 510630, China
| | - Jianxi Lu
- The Biotherapy Center, the Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, 510630, China
| | - Qiuli Liu
- The Biotherapy Center, the Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, 510630, China.
| | - Qi Zhang
- The Biotherapy Center, the Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, 510630, China.
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16
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Kadri N, Amu S, Iacobaeus E, Boberg E, Le Blanc K. Current perspectives on mesenchymal stromal cell therapy for graft versus host disease. Cell Mol Immunol 2023; 20:613-625. [PMID: 37165014 DOI: 10.1038/s41423-023-01022-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2022] [Accepted: 04/07/2023] [Indexed: 05/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Graft versus host disease (GvHD) is the clinical condition in which bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) have been most frequently studied. In this review, we summarize the experience from clinical trials that have paved the way to translation. While MSC-based therapy has shown an exceptional safety profile, identifying potency assays and disease biomarkers that reliably predict the capacity of a specific MSC batch to alleviate GvHD has been difficult. As GvHD diagnosis and staging are based solely on clinical criteria, individual patients recruited in the same clinical trial may have vastly different underlying biology, obscuring trial outcomes and making it difficult to determine the benefit of MSCs in subgroups of patients. An accumulating body of evidence indicates the importance of considering not only the cell product but also patient-specific biomarkers and/or immune characteristics in determining MSC responsiveness. A mode of action where intravascular MSC destruction is followed by monocyte-efferocytosis-mediated skewing of the immune repertoire in a permissive inflammatory environment would both explain why cell engraftment is irrelevant for MSC efficacy and stress the importance of biologic differences between responding and nonresponding patients. We recommend a combined analysis of clinical outcomes and both biomarkers of disease activity and MSC potency assays to identify patients with GvHD who are likely to benefit from MSC therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nadir Kadri
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Sylvie Amu
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Ellen Iacobaeus
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Division of Neurology, Karolinska Institute and Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Erik Boberg
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Haematology, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Katarina Le Blanc
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
- Department of Cell Therapies and Allogeneic Stem Cell Transplantation Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.
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17
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Garcia-Rosa M, Abraham A, Bertaina A, Bhoopalan SV, Bonfim C, Cohen S, DeZern A, Louis C, Oved J, Pavel-Dinu M, Purtill D, Ruggeri A, Russell A, Sharma A, Wynn R, Boelens JJ, Prockop S. International society for cell & gene therapy stem cell engineering committee: Cellular therapies for the treatment of graft-versus-host-disease after hematopoietic stem cell transplant. Cytotherapy 2023; 25:578-589. [PMID: 36941149 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcyt.2023.02.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2022] [Revised: 01/16/2023] [Accepted: 02/15/2023] [Indexed: 03/23/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AIMS Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant is a curative approach for many malignant and non-malignant hematologic conditions. Despite advances in its prevention and treatment, the morbidity and mortality related to graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) remains. The mechanisms by which currently used pharmacologic agents impair the activation and proliferation of potentially alloreactive T cells reveal pathways essential for the detrimental activities of these cell populations. Importantly, these same pathways can be important in mediating the graft-versus-leukemia effect in recipients transplanted for malignant disease. This knowledge informs potential roles for cellular therapies such as mesenchymal stromal cells and regulatory T cells in preventing or treating GVHD. This article reviews the current state of adoptive cellular therapies focused on GVHD treatment. METHODS We conducted a search for scientific literature in PubMed® and ongoing clinical trials in clinicaltrial.gov with the keywords "Graft-versus-Host Disease (GVHD)," "Cellular Therapies," "Regulatory T cells (Tregs)," "Mesenchymal Stromal (Stem) Cells (MSCs)," "Natural Killer (NK) Cells," "Myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs)," and "Regulatory B-Cells (B-regs)." All the published and available clinical studies were included. RESULTS Although most of the existing clinical data focus on cellular therapies for GVHD prevention, there are observational and interventional clinical studies that explore the potential for cellular therapies to be safe modalities for GVHD treatment while maintaining the graft-versus-leukemia effect in the context of malignant diseases. However, there are multiple challenges that limit the broader use of these approaches in the clinical scenario. CONCLUSIONS There are many ongoing clinical trials to date with the promise to expand our actual knowledge on the role of cellular therapies for GVHD treatment in an attempt to improve GVHD-related outcomes in the near future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Moises Garcia-Rosa
- Pediatric Hematology-Oncology Fellow, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, and Department of Pediatrics, Weill Cornell Medical College of Cornell University, New York, New York, USA.
| | - Allistair Abraham
- Center for Cancer and Immunology Research, CETI, Children's National Hospital, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
| | - Alice Bertaina
- Division of Hematology, Oncology, Stem Cell Transplantation and Regenerative Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Senthil Velan Bhoopalan
- Department of Bone Marrow Transplantation and Cellular Therapy, St Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee, USA
| | - Carmem Bonfim
- Pediatric Blood and Marrow Transplantation Division and Pele Pequeno Principe Research Institute, Hospital Pequeno Principe, Curitiba, Brazil
| | - Sandra Cohen
- Universite de Montreal and Maisonneuve Rosemont Hospital, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Amy DeZern
- Bone Marrow Failure and MDS Program, John Hopkins Medicine Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | | | - Joseph Oved
- Stem Cell Transplantation and Cellular Therapies, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York, USA
| | - Mara Pavel-Dinu
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Stem Cell Transplantation and Regenerative Medicine, Redwood City, California, USA
| | - Duncan Purtill
- Department of Haematology, Fiona Stanley Hospital, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
| | | | - Athena Russell
- Center for Cellular Immunotherapies, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Akshay Sharma
- Department of Bone Marrow Transplantation and Cellular Therapy, St Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee, USA
| | - Robert Wynn
- Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Jaap Jan Boelens
- Stem Cell Transplantation and Cellular Therapies, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, and Department of Pediatrics, Weill Cornell Medical College of Cornell University, New York, New York, USA
| | - Susan Prockop
- Dana-Farber/Boston Children's Cancer and Blood Disorders Center, Boston, Massachusetts USA
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18
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Hansen SB, Højgaard LD, Kastrup J, Ekblond A, Follin B, Juhl M. Optimizing an immunomodulatory potency assay for Mesenchymal Stromal Cell. Front Immunol 2022; 13:1085312. [PMID: 36578497 PMCID: PMC9791065 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.1085312] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2022] [Accepted: 11/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The expeditious progress of Mesenchymal Stromal Cells (MSC) for therapeutic intervention calls for means to compare differences in potency of cell products. The differences may be attributed to innumerable sources including tissue origin, production methods, or even between batches. While the immunomodulatory potential of MSC is recognized and well-documented by an expansive body of evidence, the methodologies and findings vary markedly. In this study, we utilized flowcytometric analysis of lymphocyte proliferation based on cryopreserved peripheral blood mononuclear cells for quantification of the inhibitory effect of MSC. Technical aspects of fluorescent staining and cryopreservation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells were evaluated to obtain optimal results and increase feasibility. A range of common specific and unspecific mitogens was titrated to identify the conditions, in which the effects of Adipose tissue-derived Stromal Cells (ASC; a type of MSC) were most pronounced. Specific stimulation by antibody-mediated activation of CD3 and CD28 via TransAct and Dynabeads lead to substantial proliferation of lymphocytes, which was inhibited by ASC. These results were closely mirrored when applying unspecific stimulation in form of phytohemagglutinin (PHA), but not concanavalin A or pokeweed mitogen. The mixed lymphocyte reaction is a common assay which exploits alloreactivity between donors. While arguably more physiologic, the output of the assay often varies substantially, and the extent of proliferation is limited since the frequency of alloreactive cells is low, as opposed to the mitogens. To heighten the proliferative response and robustness, combinations of 2-5 donors were tested. Maximum proliferation was observed when combining 4 or more donors, which was efficiently suppressed by ASC. Several desirable and unfavorable traits can be attributed to the tested stimuli in the form of keywords. The importance of these traits should be scored on a laboratory-level to identify the ideal mitogen. In our case the ranking listed PHA as the most suited candidate. Developing robust assays is no trivial feat. By disclosing the full methodological framework in the present study, we hope to aid others in establishing functional metrics on the road to potency assays.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stine Bangsgaard Hansen
- Cell2Cure, Cardiology Stem Cell Centre, The Heart Centre, University Hospital Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Lisbeth Drozd Højgaard
- Cell2Cure, Cardiology Stem Cell Centre, The Heart Centre, University Hospital Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Jens Kastrup
- Cell2Cure, Cardiology Stem Cell Centre, The Heart Centre, University Hospital Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Cell2Cure, Birkerød, Denmark
| | - Annette Ekblond
- Cell2Cure, Cardiology Stem Cell Centre, The Heart Centre, University Hospital Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Cell2Cure, Birkerød, Denmark
| | - Bjarke Follin
- Cell2Cure, Cardiology Stem Cell Centre, The Heart Centre, University Hospital Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Morten Juhl
- Cell2Cure, Cardiology Stem Cell Centre, The Heart Centre, University Hospital Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
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19
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Doglio M, Crossland RE, Alho AC, Penack O, Dickinson AM, Stary G, Lacerda JF, Eissner G, Inngjerdingen M. Cell-based therapy in prophylaxis and treatment of chronic graft-versus-host disease. Front Immunol 2022; 13:1045168. [PMID: 36466922 PMCID: PMC9714556 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.1045168] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2022] [Accepted: 10/31/2022] [Indexed: 08/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Hematopoietic allogeneic stem cell transplantation (allo-SCT) is a curative option for patients with hematological malignancies. However, due to disparities in major and minor histocompatibility antigens between donor and recipient, severe inflammatory complications can occur, among which chronic graft-versus-host disease (cGVHD) can be life-threatening. A classical therapeutic approach to the prevention and treatment of cGVHD has been broad immunosuppression, but more recently adjuvant immunotherapies have been tested. This review summarizes and discusses immunomodulatory approaches with T cells, including chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) and regulatory T cells, with natural killer (NK) cells and innate lymphoid cells (ILCs), and finally with mesenchymal stromal cells (MSC) and extracellular vesicles thereof. Clinical studies and pre-clinical research results are presented likewise.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matteo Doglio
- Experimental Haematology Unit, Division of Immunology Transplantation and Infectious Diseases, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy
| | - Rachel E. Crossland
- Translational and Clinical Research Institute, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom
| | - Ana C. Alho
- JLacerda Lab, Hematology and Transplantation Immunology, Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
- Serviço de Hematologia e Transplantação de Medula, Hospital de Santa Maria, Centro Hospitalar Universitário de Lisboa Norte, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Olaf Penack
- Department of Hematology, Oncology, and Cancer Immunology, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Anne M. Dickinson
- Translational and Clinical Research Institute, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom
- Alcyomics Ltd, Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom
| | - Georg Stary
- Department of Dermatology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Ludwig Boltzmann Institute for Rare and Undiagnosed Diseases, Vienna, Austria
- CeMM Research Center for Molecular Medicine of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna, Austria
| | - João F. Lacerda
- JLacerda Lab, Hematology and Transplantation Immunology, Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
- Serviço de Hematologia e Transplantação de Medula, Hospital de Santa Maria, Centro Hospitalar Universitário de Lisboa Norte, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Günther Eissner
- Systems Biology Ireland, School of Medicine, Conway Institute, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Marit Inngjerdingen
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Oslo and Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
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20
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Lipat AJ, Cottle C, Pirlot BM, Mitchell J, Pando B, Helmly B, Kosko J, Rajan D, Hematti P, Chinnadurai R. Chemokine Assay Matrix Defines the Potency of Human Bone Marrow Mesenchymal Stromal Cells. Stem Cells Transl Med 2022; 11:971-986. [PMID: 35881077 PMCID: PMC9492268 DOI: 10.1093/stcltm/szac050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2022] [Accepted: 06/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Potency analysis of mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) is required for their use in advanced clinical trials. Assay matrix strategy evaluating more than a single property of MSCs is an emerging strategy in potency analysis. Here we developed an assay matrix approach focusing on the secretory chemokine responses of MSCs using multiplex analytical method. MSCs’ innate fitness in secreting matrix of chemokines is correlated with their metabolic fitness in differential degrees. In addition, innately secreting chemokines are correlated among themselves in a unique pattern. MSC’s matrix chemokine responses to exogenous stimulation of IFNγ and/or TNFα are distinct. However, the combination of IFNγ and TNFα is superior than individual stimulations in eliciting robust and broad matrix chemokine responses of MSCs. Correlation matrix analysis has identified that chemokine responses to IFNγ and/or TNFα display unique correlative secretion patterns. MSC and peripheral blood mononuclear cells coculture analysis has identified the correlation matrix responses of chemokines that predicted immune suppression. In addition, MSC-mediated blocking of T-cell proliferation predominantly correlates with chemokines in an inverse manner. Knockdown of chemokines has demonstrated that MSC-sourced inherent chemokines do not actively play a role in T-cell suppression and thus are the bystander predictors of T-cell suppression. The present analysis of MSC’s matrix chemokine responses can be deployed in the advanced potency analysis of MSCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ariel Joy Lipat
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Mercer University School of Medicine, Savannah, GA, USA
| | - Chasen Cottle
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Mercer University School of Medicine, Savannah, GA, USA
| | - Bonnie M Pirlot
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Mercer University School of Medicine, Savannah, GA, USA
| | - James Mitchell
- Diagnostic Radiology, Memorial Health University Medical Center, Savannah, GA, USA
| | - Brian Pando
- Diagnostic Radiology, Memorial Health University Medical Center, Savannah, GA, USA
| | - Brian Helmly
- Diagnostic Radiology, Memorial Health University Medical Center, Savannah, GA, USA
| | - Joanna Kosko
- Department of Pathology, Memorial Health University Medical Center, Savannah, GA, USA
| | - Devi Rajan
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Mercer University School of Medicine, Savannah, GA, USA
| | - Peiman Hematti
- Department of Medicine, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Raghavan Chinnadurai
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Mercer University School of Medicine, Savannah, GA, USA
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21
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Li YJ, Chen Z. Cell-based therapies for rheumatoid arthritis: opportunities and challenges. Ther Adv Musculoskelet Dis 2022; 14:1759720X221100294. [PMID: 35634355 PMCID: PMC9131381 DOI: 10.1177/1759720x221100294] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2022] [Accepted: 04/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is the most common immune-mediated inflammatory disease characterized by chronic synovitis that hardly resolves spontaneously. The current treatment of RA consists of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), glucocorticoids, conventional disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (cDMARDs), biologic and targeted synthetic DMARDs. Although the treat-to-target strategy has been intensively applied in the past decade, clinical unmet needs still exist since a substantial proportion of patients are refractory or even develop severe adverse effects to current therapies. In recent years, with the deeper understanding of immunopathogenesis of the disease, cell-based therapies have exhibited effective and promising interventions to RA. Several cell-based therapies, such as mesenchymal stem cells (MSC), adoptive transfer of regulatory T cells (Treg), and chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cell therapy as well as their beneficial effects have been documented and verified so far. In this review, we summarize the current evidence and discuss the prospect as well as challenges for these three types of cellular therapies in RA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu-Jing Li
- Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
- Second Clinical Medical School, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Quanzhou, China
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22
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Keshavarz Shahbaz S, Mansourabadi AH, Jafari D. Genetically engineered mesenchymal stromal cells as a new trend for treatment of severe acute graft-versus-host disease. Clin Exp Immunol 2022; 208:12-24. [PMID: 35274673 PMCID: PMC9113247 DOI: 10.1093/cei/uxac016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2021] [Revised: 12/25/2021] [Accepted: 02/07/2022] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are a population of non-hematopoietic and self-renewing cells characterized by the potential to differentiate into different cell subtypes. MSCs have interesting features which have attracted a lot of attention in various clinical investigations. Some basic features of MSCs are including the weak immunogenicity (absence of MHC-II and costimulatory ligands accompanied by the low expression of MHC-I) and the potential of plasticity and multi-organ homing via expressing related surface molecules. MSCs by immunomodulatory effects could also ameliorate several immune-pathological conditions like graft-versus-host diseases (GVHD). The efficacy and potency of MSCs are the main objections of MSCs therapeutic applications. It suggested that improving the MSC immunosuppressive characteristic via genetic engineering to produce therapeutic molecules consider as one of the best options for this purpose. In this review, we explain the functions, immunologic properties, and clinical applications of MSCs to discuss the beneficial application of genetically modified MSCs in GVHD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sanaz Keshavarz Shahbaz
- Cellular and Molecular Research Center, Research Institute for Prevention of Non-communicable Disease, Qazvin University of Medical Science, Qazvin, Iran
| | - Amir Hossein Mansourabadi
- Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
- Immunogenetics Research Network (IgReN), Universal Scientific Education and Research Network (USERN), Tehran, Iran
| | - Davood Jafari
- Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Zanjan University of Medical Sciences, Zanjan, Iran
- Immunogenetics Research Network (IgReN), Universal Scientific Education and Research Network (USERN), Zanjan, Iran
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23
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Ding L, Han DM, Yan HM, Zhou JX, Zheng XL, Zhu L, Xue M, Liu J, Mao N, Guo ZK, Ning HM, Wang HX, Zhu H. Infusion of haploidentical HSCs combined with allogenic MSCs for the treatment of ALL patients. Bone Marrow Transplant 2022; 57:1086-1094. [PMID: 35468947 DOI: 10.1038/s41409-022-01688-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2021] [Revised: 04/09/2022] [Accepted: 04/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Although haploidentical stem cell transplantation (haplo-HSCT) offers almost all acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) patients an opportunity for immediate transplantation, it exhibits a higher incidence of graft failure and graft versus host disease (GVHD). Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are characterised by their haematopoiesis-promoting and immunomodulatory capacity. Thus, we designed a combination of haplo-HSCT and MSCs for ALL patients. ALL patients (n = 110) were given haploidentical HSCs combined with allogenic MSCs, and ALL patients without MSC infusion (n = 56) were included as controls. The 100-day cumulative incidences of grade ≥2 acute GVHD (aGVHD) and grade ≥3 aGVHD were 40.00% and 9.09% compared to 42.32% (P = 0.79) and 22.79% (P = 0.03) in patients without MSC infusion, respectively. The 3-year cumulative incidences of chronic GVHD (cGVHD) and extensive cGVHD were 22.27% and 10.27% compared to 32.14% (P = 0.19) and 22.21% (P = 0.04) in patients without MSC infusion, respectively. No significant differences in the 3-year relapse incidence, nonrelapse mortality, leukaemia-free survival or overall survival in groups with and without MSC cotransplantation were observed. Multivariate analysis showed that MSC infusion contributed to a lower risk of developing extensive cGVHD. Our data suggested that haplo-HSCT combined with MSCs may provide an effective and safe treatment for ALL patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li Ding
- Air Force Medical Center, PLA, Road Fucheng 30, Beijing, 100142, P.R. China. .,Department of Experimental Hematology& Biochemistry, Beijing Institute of Radiation Medicine, Road Taiping 27, Beijing, 100850, P.R. China.
| | - Dong-Mei Han
- Air Force Medical Center, PLA, Road Fucheng 30, Beijing, 100142, P.R. China
| | - Hong-Min Yan
- Air Force Medical Center, PLA, Road Fucheng 30, Beijing, 100142, P.R. China
| | - Jie-Xin Zhou
- Air Force Medical Center, PLA, Road Fucheng 30, Beijing, 100142, P.R. China
| | - Xiao-Li Zheng
- Air Force Medical Center, PLA, Road Fucheng 30, Beijing, 100142, P.R. China
| | - Ling Zhu
- Air Force Medical Center, PLA, Road Fucheng 30, Beijing, 100142, P.R. China
| | - Mei Xue
- Air Force Medical Center, PLA, Road Fucheng 30, Beijing, 100142, P.R. China
| | - Jing Liu
- Air Force Medical Center, PLA, Road Fucheng 30, Beijing, 100142, P.R. China
| | - Ning Mao
- Beijing Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Road Taiping 27, Beijing, 100850, P.R. China
| | - Zi-Kuan Guo
- Department of Experimental Hematology& Biochemistry, Beijing Institute of Radiation Medicine, Road Taiping 27, Beijing, 100850, P.R. China.,Beijing Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Road Taiping 27, Beijing, 100850, P.R. China.,Beijing Key Laboratory for Radiobiology, Beijing Institute of Radiation Medicine, Beijing, 100850, People's Republic of China
| | - Hong-Mei Ning
- Beijing Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Road Taiping 27, Beijing, 100850, P.R. China.,The Fifth Medical Center of Chinese PLA General Hospital, East Street 8, Beijing, 100071, People's Republic of China
| | - Heng-Xiang Wang
- Air Force Medical Center, PLA, Road Fucheng 30, Beijing, 100142, P.R. China.
| | - Heng Zhu
- Department of Experimental Hematology& Biochemistry, Beijing Institute of Radiation Medicine, Road Taiping 27, Beijing, 100850, P.R. China. .,Beijing Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Road Taiping 27, Beijing, 100850, P.R. China. .,Beijing Key Laboratory for Radiobiology, Beijing Institute of Radiation Medicine, Beijing, 100850, People's Republic of China. .,Graduate School of Anhui Medical University, Road Meishan 81, Hefei, 230032, Anhui, P.R. China.
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24
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Li Y, Hao J, Hu Z, Yang YG, Zhou Q, Sun L, Wu J. Current status of clinical trials assessing mesenchymal stem cell therapy for graft versus host disease: a systematic review. Stem Cell Res Ther 2022; 13:93. [PMID: 35246235 PMCID: PMC8895864 DOI: 10.1186/s13287-022-02751-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2021] [Accepted: 01/31/2022] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) is a common fatal complication of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT), where steroids are used as a treatment option. However, there are currently no second-line treatments for patients that develop steroid-resistance (SR). Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have immunomodulatory functions and can exert immunosuppressive effects on the inflammatory microenvironment. A large number of in vitro experiments have confirmed that MSCs can significantly inhibit the proliferation or activation of innate and adaptive immune cells. In a mouse model of GVHD, MSCs improved weight loss and increased survival rate. Therefore, there is great promise for the clinical translation of MSCs for the prevention or treatment of GVHD, and several clinical trials have already been conducted to date. Main body In this study, we searched multiple databases and found 79 clinical trials involving the use of MSCs to prevent or treat GVHD and summarized the characteristics of these clinical trials, including study design, phase, status, and locations. We analyzed the results of these clinical trials, including the response and survival rates, to enable researchers to obtain a comprehensive understanding of the field’s progress, challenges, limitations, and future development trends. Additionally, factors that might result in inconsistencies in clinical trial results were discussed. Conclusion In this study, we attempted to analyze the clinical trials for MSCs in GVHD, identify the most suitable group of patients for MSC therapy, and provide a new perspective for the design of such trials in the future. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13287-022-02751-0.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Li
- Key Laboratory of Organ Regeneration and Transplantation of Ministry of Education, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, 130061, China.,National-Local Joint Engineering Laboratory of Animal Models for Human Diseases, Changchun, 130061, China.,Department of Gastroenterology, The First Hospital, Jilin University, Changchun, 130021, China
| | - Jie Hao
- State Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China.,Institute for Stem Cell and Regeneration, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China.,National Stem Cell Resource Center, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
| | - Zheng Hu
- Key Laboratory of Organ Regeneration and Transplantation of Ministry of Education, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, 130061, China.,National-Local Joint Engineering Laboratory of Animal Models for Human Diseases, Changchun, 130061, China
| | - Yong-Guang Yang
- Key Laboratory of Organ Regeneration and Transplantation of Ministry of Education, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, 130061, China.,National-Local Joint Engineering Laboratory of Animal Models for Human Diseases, Changchun, 130061, China.,International Center of Future Science, Jilin University, Changchun, 130021, China
| | - Qi Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China. .,Institute for Stem Cell and Regeneration, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China. .,National Stem Cell Resource Center, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China. .,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China.
| | - Liguang Sun
- Key Laboratory of Organ Regeneration and Transplantation of Ministry of Education, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, 130061, China. .,National-Local Joint Engineering Laboratory of Animal Models for Human Diseases, Changchun, 130061, China.
| | - Jun Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China. .,Institute for Stem Cell and Regeneration, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China. .,National Stem Cell Resource Center, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China.
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25
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Cellular therapies for the treatment and prevention of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Blood 2022; 140:208-221. [PMID: 35240679 PMCID: PMC8896869 DOI: 10.1182/blood.2021012249] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2022] [Accepted: 03/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Patients with blood disorders who are immune suppressed are at increased risk for infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2. Sequelae of infection can include severe respiratory disease and/or prolonged duration of viral shedding. Cellular therapies may protect these vulnerable patients by providing antiviral cellular immunity and/or immune modulation. In this recent review of the field, phase 1/2 trials evaluating adoptive cellular therapies with virus-specific T cells or natural killer cells are described along with trials evaluating the safety, feasibility, and preliminary efficacy of immune modulating cellular therapies including regulatory T cells and mesenchymal stromal cells. In addition, the immunologic basis for these therapies is discussed.
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26
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Mesenchymal stem cells transfer mitochondria to allogeneic Tregs in an HLA-dependent manner improving their immunosuppressive activity. Nat Commun 2022; 13:856. [PMID: 35165293 PMCID: PMC8844425 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-28338-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2020] [Accepted: 01/18/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Cell-based immunotherapies can provide safe and effective treatments for various disorders including autoimmunity, cancer, and excessive proinflammatory events in sepsis or viral infections. However, to achieve this goal there is a need for deeper understanding of mechanisms of the intercellular interactions. Regulatory T cells (Tregs) are a lymphocyte subset that maintain peripheral tolerance, whilst mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are multipotent nonhematopoietic progenitor cells. Despite coming from different origins, Tregs and MSCs share immunoregulatory properties that have been tested in clinical trials. Here we demonstrate how direct and indirect contact with allogenic MSCs improves Tregs’ potential for accumulation of immunosuppressive adenosine and suppression of conventional T cell proliferation, making them more potent therapeutic tools. Our results also demonstrate that direct communication between Tregs and MSCs is based on transfer of active mitochondria and fragments of plasma membrane from MSCs to Tregs, an event that is HLA-dependent and associates with HLA-C and HLA-DRB1 eplet mismatch load between Treg and MSC donors. Regulatory T (Treg) cells and mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are both cell populations capable of immune tolerance induction. Here the authors show that the transfer of mitochondria from mesenchymal stem cells to allogeneic Treg cells in an HLA-dependent manner results in enhanced immunosuppressive functions of Treg cells.
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27
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Gilkeson GS. Safety and Efficacy of Mesenchymal Stromal Cells and Other Cellular Therapeutics in Rheumatic Diseases in 2022: A review of what we know so far. Arthritis Rheumatol 2022; 74:752-765. [PMID: 35128813 DOI: 10.1002/art.42081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2021] [Revised: 12/13/2021] [Accepted: 02/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Although there are a number of new immunosuppressives and biologics approved for treating various autoimmune/inflammatory rheumatic diseases, there remain a substantial number of patients who have no clinical response or limited clinical response to these available treatments. Use of cellular therapies is a novel approach for the treatment of autoimmune/inflammatory rheumatic diseases with perhaps enhanced efficacy and less toxicity than current therapies. Autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplants were the first foray into cellular therapies with proven efficacy in scleroderma and multiple sclerosis. Newer yet unproven cellular therapies include allogenic mesenchymal stromal cells, shown effective in graft vs host disease and in healing of Crohn's fistulas. CAR-T cells are effective in various malignancies with possible usage in rheumatic diseases, as shown in preclinical studies in murine lupus and recently in human lupus. T regulatory cells are one of the master controllers of the immune response and are decreased in number and/or effectiveness in specific autoimmune diseases. Expansion of autologous T regulatory cells is an attractive approach to controlling autoimmunity. There are a number of other regulatory cells in the immune system including regulatory B cells, dendritic cells, macrophages, and other T cell types that are early in development. In this review, the current evidence for efficacy and mechanisms of actions of cellular therapies already in use or in clinical trials in human autoimmune diseases will be discussed including limitations of these therapies and potential side effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gary S Gilkeson
- Department of Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC.,Medical Research Service, Ralph H. Johnson VAMC, Charleston, SC
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28
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Burk J, Sassmann A, Kasper C, Nimptsch A, Schubert S. Extracellular Matrix Synthesis and Remodeling by Mesenchymal Stromal Cells Is Context-Sensitive. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23031758. [PMID: 35163683 PMCID: PMC8836208 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23031758] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2021] [Revised: 01/25/2022] [Accepted: 01/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Matrix remodeling could be an important mode of action of multipotent mesenchymal stromal cells (MSC) in extracellular matrix (ECM) disease, but knowledge is limited in this respect. As MSC are well-known to adapt their behavior to their environment, we aimed to investigate if their mode of action would change in response to healthy versus pathologically altered ECM. Human MSC-derived ECM was produced under different culture conditions, including standard culture, culture on Matrigel-coated dishes, and stimulation with the pro-fibrotic transforming growth factor-β1 (TGFβ1). The MSC-ECM was decellularized, characterized by histochemistry, and used as MSC culture substrate reflecting different ECM conditions. MSC were cultured on the different ECM substrates or in control conditions for 2 days. Culture on ECM increased the presence of surface molecules with ECM receptor function in the MSC, demonstrating an interaction between MSC and ECM. In MSC cultured on Matrigel-ECM and TGFβ1-ECM, which displayed a fibrosis-like morphology, gene expression of collagens and decorin, as well as total matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) activity in the supernatant were decreased as compared with control conditions. These results demonstrated that MSC adapt to their ECM environment, which may include pathological adaptations that could compromise therapeutic efficacy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janina Burk
- Equine Clinic (Surgery, Orthopedics), Justus-Liebig-University Giessen, 35392 Giessen, Germany
- Institute for Cell and Tissue Culture Technologies, Department of Biotechnology, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences (BOKU), 1190 Vienna, Austria; (A.S.); (C.K.)
- Correspondence:
| | - Anna Sassmann
- Institute for Cell and Tissue Culture Technologies, Department of Biotechnology, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences (BOKU), 1190 Vienna, Austria; (A.S.); (C.K.)
| | - Cornelia Kasper
- Institute for Cell and Tissue Culture Technologies, Department of Biotechnology, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences (BOKU), 1190 Vienna, Austria; (A.S.); (C.K.)
| | - Ariane Nimptsch
- Institute for Medical Physics and Biophysics, University of Leipzig, 04107 Leipzig, Germany;
| | - Susanna Schubert
- Institute of Human Genetics, University of Leipzig, 04103 Leipzig, Germany;
- Saxon Incubator for Clinical Translation, University of Leipzig, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
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29
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Matsushima S, Kobayashi R, Hori D, Yanagi M, Kodama K, Sano H, Suzuki D, Kobayashi K. Successful treatment of steroid-dependent gastrointestinal acute graft-versus-host disease with mesenchymal stromal cells administered more than 100 days after allo-HCT. BLOOD CELL THERAPY 2022; 5:27-30. [PMID: 36714266 PMCID: PMC9847261 DOI: 10.31547/bct-2021-013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2021] [Accepted: 09/27/2021] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
Administration of mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) represents a promising therapy for steroid-resistant acute graft-versus-host disease (aGVHD). However, its efficacy in pediatric patients with steroid-dependent aGVHD remains unclear, given the paucity of studies performed in children. In addition, the duration between the onset of aGVHD and MSC therapy is reportedly critical; a delay in MSC administration negatively impacts overall survival and response rate. Herein, we describe a case of a 14-year-old girl with steroid-dependent aGVHD who was successfully treated with MSCs following a prolonged duration from aGVHD diagnosis. The patient was diagnosed with T-cell lymphoblastic leukemia with central nervous system involvement and underwent cord blood transplantation (CBT). She developed severe gastrointestinal aGVHD on day +14 after CBT and was treated with a steroid; however, her aGVHD was repeatedly exacerbated upon tapering the steroid, later complicated by diabetic ketoacidosis. We eventually implemented MSC therapy for steroid-dependent aGVHD on day +109 after CBT. She rapidly responded to therapy, and her aGVHD was ameliorated even with steroid tapering. This case exemplifies the potential role of MSCs in treating pediatric patients with steroid-dependent aGVHD or late aGVHD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Satoru Matsushima
- Department of Hematology/Oncology for Children and Adolescents, Sapporo Hokuyu Hospital, Japan
| | - Ryoji Kobayashi
- Department of Hematology/Oncology for Children and Adolescents, Sapporo Hokuyu Hospital, Japan
| | - Daiki Hori
- Department of Hematology/Oncology for Children and Adolescents, Sapporo Hokuyu Hospital, Japan
| | - Masato Yanagi
- Department of Hematology/Oncology for Children and Adolescents, Sapporo Hokuyu Hospital, Japan
| | - Koya Kodama
- Department of Hematology/Oncology for Children and Adolescents, Sapporo Hokuyu Hospital, Japan
| | - Hirozumi Sano
- Department of Hematology/Oncology for Children and Adolescents, Sapporo Hokuyu Hospital, Japan
| | - Daisuke Suzuki
- Department of Hematology/Oncology for Children and Adolescents, Sapporo Hokuyu Hospital, Japan
| | - Kunihiko Kobayashi
- Department of Hematology/Oncology for Children and Adolescents, Sapporo Hokuyu Hospital, Japan
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30
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Malladi R, Ahmed I, McIlroy G, Dignan FL, Protheroe R, Jackson A, Moss P, Nunnick J, Siddique S, Bishop R, Elhaneid M, Hodgkinson A, Craddock C. Azacitidine for the treatment of steroid-refractory chronic graft-versus-host disease: the results of the phase II AZTEC clinical trial. Bone Marrow Transplant 2021; 56:2948-2955. [PMID: 34446853 DOI: 10.1038/s41409-021-01439-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2021] [Revised: 07/13/2021] [Accepted: 08/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Chronic graft-versus-host disease (cGvHD) is a major cause of non-relapse morbidity and mortality following allogeneic stem cell transplant. Over half of patients with moderate or severe cGvHD fail to respond adequately to first-line treatment with systemic steroids, and although a range of second-line options have been employed, a lack of prospective evidence means there is no standard of care. The AZTEC trial is a prospective, single-arm, phase II study investigating the safety and activity of azacitidine for the treatment of cGvHD in patients who are resistant to, or intolerant of, systemic steroid therapy. The co-primary outcomes were treatment tolerability, and activity measured as objective response according to modified National Institutes of Health criteria. Fourteen patients were recruited to the first stage of the trial, of whom seven completed the planned six cycles of azacitidine 36 mg/m2 days 1-5 per 28-day cycle. Azacitidine was tolerated by 13/14 patients, and 7/14 showed an objective response. Clinical responses were mirrored by improvements in patient-reported cGvHD symptoms and quality of life. AZTEC demonstrates that azacitidine is a safe and promising option for the treatment of cGvHD, and continued evaluation in the second stage of this phase II efficacy study is supported.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ram Malladi
- Centre for Clinical Haematology, Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham, Birmingham, UK.
- Department of Haematology, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge, UK.
| | - Ikhlaaq Ahmed
- Cancer Research UK Clinical Trials Unit, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
| | - Graham McIlroy
- Cancer Research UK Clinical Trials Unit, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
| | - Fiona L Dignan
- Department of Clinical Haematology, Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester, UK
| | - Rachel Protheroe
- Department of Haematology, University Hospitals Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Aimee Jackson
- Cancer Research UK Clinical Trials Unit, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
| | - Paul Moss
- Institute of Immunology and Immunotherapy, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
| | - Jane Nunnick
- Centre for Clinical Haematology, Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
- Cancer Research UK Clinical Trials Unit, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
| | - Shamyla Siddique
- Cancer Research UK Clinical Trials Unit, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
| | - Rebecca Bishop
- Cancer Research UK Clinical Trials Unit, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
| | - Mohamed Elhaneid
- Cancer Research UK Clinical Trials Unit, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
| | - Andrea Hodgkinson
- Cancer Research UK Clinical Trials Unit, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
| | - Charles Craddock
- Centre for Clinical Haematology, Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
- Cancer Research UK Clinical Trials Unit, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
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31
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Ding L, Han DM, Zheng XL, Yan HM, Xue M, Liu J, Zhu L, Guo ZK, Mao N, Ning HM, Wang HX, Heng Zhu. Infusion of haploidentical hematopoietic stem cells combined with mesenchymal stem cells for treatment of severe aplastic anemia in adult patients yields curative effects. Cytotherapy 2021; 24:205-212. [PMID: 34799271 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcyt.2021.09.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2021] [Revised: 09/11/2021] [Accepted: 09/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AIMS Despite the great advances in immunosuppressive therapy for severe aplastic anemia (SAA), most patients are not completely cured. Haploidentical hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (haplo-HSCT) has been recommended as an alternative treatment in adult SAA patients. However, haplo-HSCT presents a higher incidence of graft failure and graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). The authors designed a combination of haplo-HSCT and umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cells (UC-MSCs) for treatment of SAA in adult patients and evaluated its effects. METHODS Adult patients (≥18 years) with SAA (N = 25) were given HLA-haploidentical hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) combined with UC-MSCs after a conditioning regimen consisting of busulfan, cyclophosphamide, fludarabine and anti-thymocyte globulin and intensive GVHD prophylaxis, including cyclosporine, basiliximab, mycophenolate mofetil and short-term methotrexate. Additionally, the effects of the protocol in adult SSA patients were compared with those observed in juvenile SAA patients (N = 75). RESULTS All patients achieved myeloid engraftment after haplo-HSCT at a median of 16.12 days (range, 11-26). The median time of platelet engraftment was 28.30 days (range, 13-143). The cumulative incidence of grade II acute GVHD (aGVHD) at day +100 was 32.00 ± 0.91%. No one had grade III-IV aGVHD at day +100. The cumulative incidence of total chronic GVHD was 28.00 ± 0.85%. The overall survival was 71.78 ± 9.05% at a median follow-up of 42.08 months (range, 2.67-104). Promisingly, the protocol yielded a similar curative effect in both young and adult SAA patients. CONCLUSIONS The authors' data suggest that co-transplantation of HLA-haploidentical HSCs and UC-MSCs may provide an effective and safe treatment for adult SAA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li Ding
- Air Force Medical Center, People's Liberation Army, Beijing, People's Republic of China; Department of Experimental Hematology and Biochemistry, Beijing Institute of Radiation Medicine, Beijing, People's Republic of China.
| | - Dong-Mei Han
- Air Force Medical Center, People's Liberation Army, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiao-Li Zheng
- Air Force Medical Center, People's Liberation Army, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Hong-Min Yan
- Air Force Medical Center, People's Liberation Army, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Mei Xue
- Air Force Medical Center, People's Liberation Army, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Jing Liu
- Air Force Medical Center, People's Liberation Army, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Ling Zhu
- Air Force Medical Center, People's Liberation Army, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Zi-Kuan Guo
- Department of Experimental Hematology and Biochemistry, Beijing Institute of Radiation Medicine, Beijing, People's Republic of China; Beijing Key Laboratory for Radiobiology, Beijing Institute of Radiation Medicine, Beijing, People's Republic of China; Beijing Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Ning Mao
- Beijing Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Hong-Mei Ning
- Beijing Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Beijing, People's Republic of China; The Fifth Medical Center of Chinese People's Liberation Army General Hospital, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Heng-Xiang Wang
- Air Force Medical Center, People's Liberation Army, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Heng Zhu
- Department of Experimental Hematology and Biochemistry, Beijing Institute of Radiation Medicine, Beijing, People's Republic of China; Beijing Key Laboratory for Radiobiology, Beijing Institute of Radiation Medicine, Beijing, People's Republic of China; Beijing Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Beijing, People's Republic of China; Graduate School of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, People's Republic of China
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32
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Kelly K, Rasko JEJ. Mesenchymal Stromal Cells for the Treatment of Graft Versus Host Disease. Front Immunol 2021; 12:761616. [PMID: 34764962 PMCID: PMC8577186 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.761616] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2021] [Accepted: 10/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Graft versus host disease (GvHD) is a life-threating complication of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, which is initially treated with high dose corticosteroids. Approximately 50% of acute GvHD cases are resistant to steroid treatment, and two-year mortality rates in those steroid-resistant patients exceed 80%. Chronic GvHD necessitates prolonged corticosteroid use, which is typically associated with limited efficacy and troublesome adverse effects. No agent has yet been established as an optimal second line therapy for either acute or chronic GvHD, but mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) have shown substantial promise. MSCs promote an immunosuppressive and immunoregulatory environment via multifactorial mechanisms, including: secretion of proteins/peptides/hormones; transfer of mitochondria; and transfer of exosomes or microvesicles containing RNA and other molecules. A large number of clinical studies have investigated MSCs from various sources as a treatment for acute and/or chronic GvHD. MSCs are generally safe and well tolerated, and most clinical studies have generated encouraging efficacy results, but response rates have varied. Confounding factors include variability in MSC donor types, production methodology and dose regimens, as well as variations in study design. It is well-established that extensive culture expansion of primary donor-derived MSCs leads to marked changes in functionality, and that there is a high level of inter-donor variability in MSC properties. However, recent manufacturing innovations may be capable of overcoming these problems. Further adequately powered prospective studies are required to confirm efficacy and establish the place of MSC therapy in the treatment of this condition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kilian Kelly
- Cynata Therapeutics Limited, Cremorne, VIC, Australia
| | - John E J Rasko
- Department of Cell and Molecular Therapies, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney, NSW, Australia.,Gene and Stem Cell Therapy Program Centenary Institute, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.,Central Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine & Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
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33
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Murata M, Teshima T. Treatment of Steroid-Refractory Acute Graft- Versus-Host Disease Using Commercial Mesenchymal Stem Cell Products. Front Immunol 2021; 12:724380. [PMID: 34489977 PMCID: PMC8417106 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.724380] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2021] [Accepted: 07/29/2021] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Acute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) is a life-threatening complication that can develop after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. In particular, the prognosis of patients with steroid-refractory acute GVHD is extremely poor. Ryoncil™ (remestemcel-L), a human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) product, failed to show superiority over placebo in patients with steroid-refractory acute GVHD, but it was approved for use in pediatric patients in Canada and New Zealand based on the results of a subgroup analysis. Temcell®, an equivalent manufactured MSC product to remestemcel-L, was approved in Japan based on small single-arm studies by using a regulation for regenerative medicine in 2016. The efficacy of Temcell was evaluated in 381 consecutive patients treated with Temcell during the initial 3 years after its approval. Interestingly, its real-world efficacy was found to be equivalent to that observed in a prospective study of remestemcel-L with strict eligibility criteria. In this article, the potential of MSC therapy in the treatment of acute GVHD is discussed. A meticulous comparison of studies of remestemcel-L and Temcell, remestemcel-L/Temcell and ruxolitinib, and remestemcel-L/Temcell and thymoglobulin showed that the precise position of remestemcel-L/Temcell therapy in the treatment of acute GVHD remains to be determined.
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Affiliation(s)
- Makoto Murata
- Department of Hematology and Oncology, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Takanori Teshima
- Department of Hematology, Hokkaido University Faculty of Medicine, Sapporo, Japan
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34
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Galipeau J. Macrophages at the nexus of mesenchymal stromal cell potency: The emerging role of chemokine cooperativity. Stem Cells 2021; 39:1145-1154. [PMID: 33786935 PMCID: PMC8453730 DOI: 10.1002/stem.3380] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2021] [Accepted: 03/12/2021] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
Pharmacological depletion of macrophages in vivo with liposomal clodronate renders mice unresponsive to adoptive transfer of mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) for affecting outcomes of acute inflammatory pathology. This experimental observation identifies host macrophages as necessary in mediating the salutary anti-inflammatory properties of MSCs as a cellular pharmaceutical. This theory is supported by the observation that transfusion of MSCs leads to the prompt phagocytosis of nearly half of lung entrapped MSCs by lung resident macrophages, triggering an interleukin (IL)-10 suppressive efferocytotic response. In addition, non-phagocytosed MSCs with COX2 competency shape the immune milieu by inducing tissue macrophages to express IL-10. Additional experimental evidence identifies MSC-borne IL-6, IDO and TSG-6 as directly involved in macrophage polarization. Along similar lines of functional convergence, implantation of CCL2+ MSCs in the extravascular space where interaction with lung resident perivascular macrophages is not operative, also leads to IL-10 polarization of CCR2+ macrophages within acute injured tissue far removed from MSC depot. Intriguingly, MSC-derived CCL2 on its own is not sufficient to polarize macrophages and requires heterodimerization with MSC-borne CXCL12 to trigger macrophage IL-10 polarization via CCR2, but not CXCR4. Such chemokine cooperativity opens a new venue for analysis of MSC potency especially considering the rich chemokine secretome of MSC exposed to inflammatory stimulus. As an aggregate, these data highlight a necessary MSC and host macrophage functional dyad that may inform potency attribute analysis of MSCs-including the chemokine interactome-that may be directly linked to in vivo clinical anti-inflammatory and regenerative response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacques Galipeau
- Department of Medicine, School of Medicine and Public HealthUniversity of Wisconsin in MadisonMadisonWisconsinUSA
- University of Wisconsin Carbone Comprehensive CancerMadisonWisconsinUSA
- University of Wisconsin Program for Advanced Cell TherapyMadisonWisconsinUSA
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35
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Type II Collagen-Conjugated Mesenchymal Stem Cells Micromass for Articular Tissue Targeting. Biomedicines 2021; 9:biomedicines9080880. [PMID: 34440084 PMCID: PMC8389618 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines9080880] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2021] [Revised: 07/07/2021] [Accepted: 07/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The tissue engineering approach in osteoarthritic cell therapy often requires the delivery of a substantially high cell number due to the low engraftment efficiency as a result of low affinity binding of implanted cells to the targeted tissue. A modification towards the cell membrane that provides specific epitope for antibody binding to a target tissue may be a plausible solution to increase engraftment. In this study, we intercalated palmitated protein G (PPG) with mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and antibody, and evaluated their effects on the properties of MSCs either in monolayer state or in a 3D culture state (gelatin microsphere, GM). Bone marrow MSCs were intercalated with PPG (PPG-MSCs), followed by coating with type II collagen antibody (PPG-MSC-Ab). The effect of PPG and antibody conjugation on the MSC proliferation and multilineage differentiation capabilities both in monolayer and GM cultures was evaluated. PPG did not affect MSC proliferation and differentiation either in monolayer or 3D culture. The PPG-MSCs were successfully conjugated with the type II collagen antibody. Both PPG-MSCs with and without antibody conjugation did not alter MSC proliferation, stemness, and the collagen, aggrecan, and sGAG expression profiles. Assessment of the osteochondral defect explant revealed that the PPG-MSC-Ab micromass was able to attach within 48 h onto the osteochondral surface. Antibody-conjugated MSCs in GM culture is a potential method for targeted delivery of MSCs in future therapy of cartilage defects and osteoarthritis.
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36
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Wang Z, Zhu X, Cong X. Spatial micro-variation of 3D hydrogel stiffness regulates the biomechanical properties of hMSCs. Biofabrication 2021; 13. [PMID: 34107453 DOI: 10.1088/1758-5090/ac0982] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2021] [Accepted: 06/09/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) are one of the most promising candidates for cell-based therapeutic products. Nonetheless, their biomechanical phenotype afterin vitroexpansion is still unsatisfactory, for example, restricting the efficiency of microcirculation of delivered hMSCs for further cell therapies. Here, we propose a scheme using maleimide-dextran hydrogel with locally varied stiffness in microscale to modify the biomechanical properties of hMSCs in three-dimensional (3D) niches. We show that spatial micro-variation of stiffness can be controllably generated in the hydrogel with heterogeneously cross-linking via atomic force microscopy measurements. The result of 3D cell culture experiment demonstrates the hydrogels trigger the formation of multicellular spheroids, and the derived hMSCs could be rationally softened via adjustment of the stiffness variation (SV) degree. Importantly,in vitro, the hMSCs modified with the higher SV degree can pass easier through capillary-shaped micro-channels. Further, we discuss the underlying mechanics of the increased cellular elasticity by focusing on the effect of rearranged actin networks, via the proposed microscopic model of biomechanically modified cells. Overall, this work highlights the effectiveness of SV-hydrogels in reprogramming and manufacturing hMSCs with designed biomechanical properties for improved therapeutic potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zheng Wang
- College of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Hohai University, Changzhou, Jiangsu 213022, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiaolu Zhu
- College of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Hohai University, Changzhou, Jiangsu 213022, People's Republic of China.,Changzhou Key Laboratory of Digital Manufacture Technology, Hohai University, Changzhou, Jiangsu 213022, People's Republic of China.,Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Special Robot Technology, Hohai University, Changzhou, Jiangsu 213022, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiuli Cong
- Department of Orthopaedics, Zhejiang Hospital, No. 12 Lingyin Road, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310013, People's Republic of China
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37
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Wang LT, Liu KJ, Sytwu HK, Yen ML, Yen BL. Advances in mesenchymal stem cell therapy for immune and inflammatory diseases: Use of cell-free products and human pluripotent stem cell-derived mesenchymal stem cells. Stem Cells Transl Med 2021; 10:1288-1303. [PMID: 34008922 PMCID: PMC8380447 DOI: 10.1002/sctm.21-0021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2021] [Revised: 03/31/2021] [Accepted: 04/20/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Mesenchymal stem cell therapy (MSCT) for immune and inflammatory diseases continues to be popular based on progressive accumulation of preclinical mechanistic evidence. This has led to further expansion in clinical indications from graft rejection, autoimmune diseases, and osteoarthritis, to inflammatory liver and pulmonary diseases including COVID‐19. A clear trend is the shift from using autologous to allogeneic MSCs, which can be immediately available as off‐the‐shelf products. In addition, new products such as cell‐free exosomes and human pluripotent stem cell (hPSC)‐derived MSCs are exciting developments to further prevalent use. Increasing numbers of trials have now published results in which safety of MSCT has been largely demonstrated. While reports of therapeutic endpoints are still emerging, efficacy can be seen for specific indications—including graft‐vs‐host‐disease, strongly Th17‐mediated autoimmune diseases, and osteoarthritis—which are more robustly supported by mechanistic preclinical evidence. In this review, we update and discuss outcomes in current MSCT clinical trials for immune and inflammatory disease, as well as new innovation and emerging trends in the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li-Tzu Wang
- Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, National Taiwan University (NTU) Hospital & College of Medicine, NTU, Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of China
| | - Ko-Jiunn Liu
- National Institute of Cancer Research, National Health Research Institutes (NHRI), Tainan, Taiwan, Republic of China
| | - Huey-Kang Sytwu
- National Institute of Infectious Diseases & Vaccinology, NHRI, Zhunan, Taiwan, Republic of China.,Department & Graduate Institute of Microbiology & Immunology, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of China
| | - Men-Luh Yen
- Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, National Taiwan University (NTU) Hospital & College of Medicine, NTU, Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of China
| | - B Linju Yen
- Regenerative Medicine Research Group, Institute of Cellular & System Medicine, NHRI, Zhunan, Taiwan, Republic of China
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38
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Strategies to Potentiate Paracrine Therapeutic Efficacy of Mesenchymal Stem Cells in Inflammatory Diseases. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22073397. [PMID: 33806241 PMCID: PMC8037333 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22073397] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2021] [Revised: 03/23/2021] [Accepted: 03/23/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have been developed as cell therapeutics for various immune disorders using their immunoregulatory properties mainly exerted by their paracrine functions. However, variation among cells from different donors, as well as rapid clearance after transplantation have impaired the uniform efficacy of MSCs and limited their application. Recently, several strategies to overcome this limitation have been suggested and proven in pre-clinical settings. Therefore, in this review article, we will update the knowledge on bioengineering strategies to improve the immunomodulatory functions of MSCs, including genetic modification and physical engineering.
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39
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He C, Yang Y, Zheng K, Chen Y, Liu S, Li Y, Han Q, Zhao RC, Wang L, Zhang F. Mesenchymal stem cell-based treatment in autoimmune liver diseases: underlying roles, advantages and challenges. Ther Adv Chronic Dis 2021; 12:2040622321993442. [PMID: 33633826 PMCID: PMC7887681 DOI: 10.1177/2040622321993442] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2020] [Accepted: 01/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Autoimmune liver disease (AILD) is a series of chronic liver diseases with abnormal immune responses, including autoimmune hepatitis (AIH), primary biliary cholangitis (PBC), and primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC). The treatment options for AILD remain limited, and the adverse side effects of the drugs that are typically used for treatment frequently lead to a low quality of life for AILD patients. Moreover, AILD patients may have a poor prognosis, especially those with an incomplete response to first-line treatment. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are pluripotent stem cells with low immunogenicity and can be conveniently harvested. MSC-based therapy is emerging as a promising approach for treating liver diseases based on their advantageous characteristics of immunomodulation, anti-fibrosis effects, and differentiation to hepatocytes, and accumulating evidence has revealed the positive effects of MSC therapy in AILD. In this review, we first summarize the mechanisms, safety, and efficacy of MSC treatment for AILD based on work in animal and clinical studies. We also discuss the challenges of MSC therapy in clinical applications. In summary, although promising data from preclinical studies are now available, MSC therapy is currently far for being applied in clinical practice, thus developing MSC therapy in AILD is still challenging and warrants further research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chengmei He
- Department of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Yanlei Yang
- Department of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Kunyu Zheng
- Department of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Yiran Chen
- Department of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Suying Liu
- Department of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Yongzhe Li
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Science and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Qin Han
- Institute of Basic Medical Sciences Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, School of Basic Medicine Peking Union Medical College, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Robert Chunhua Zhao
- Institute of Basic Medical Sciences Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, School of Basic Medicine Peking Union Medical College, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Li Wang
- Department of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, 1 Shuaifuyuan, Dongcheng District, Beijing 100730, China
| | - Fengchun Zhang
- Department of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, 1 Shuaifuyuan, Dongcheng District, Beijing 100730, China
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40
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Yu Q, Wang H, Zhang L, Wei W. Advances in the treatment of graft-versus-host disease with immunomodulatory cells. Int Immunopharmacol 2021; 92:107349. [PMID: 33486323 DOI: 10.1016/j.intimp.2020.107349] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2020] [Revised: 12/14/2020] [Accepted: 12/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) has been widely used to treat hematological malignancies and genetic diseases. Graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) induced by donor immune system is the most common complication, contributing to severe morbidity and mortality after allo-HSCT. Currently, in terms of the prevention and treatment of GVHD, the major first-line therapeutic drugs are corticosteroids. However, most patients with systemic corticosteroid treatment are prone to steroid-refractory and poor prognosis. The use of several immune cells including Tregs, Bregs and mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) as an alternative on prevention or therapy of GVHD has been demonstrated to be beneficial. However, there are still many defects to a certain degree. Based on immune cells, it is promising to develop new and better approaches to improve GVHD. In this article, we will review the current advance of immune cells (Tregs, Bregs, MSCs) with negative regulation in the treatment of GVHD and present emerging strategies for the prevention and treatment of GVHD by other immune regulatory cells and chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) Tregs. In addition, these new therapeutic options need to be further evaluated in well-designed prospective multicenter trials to determine the optimal treatment for GVHD patients and improve their prognosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qianqian Yu
- Institute of Clinical Pharmacology, Anhui Medical University, Key Laboratory of Anti-inflammatory and Immune Medicine (Anhui Medical University), Ministry of Education, Anti-inflammatory Immune Drugs Collaborative Innovation Center, Anhui Province, Hefei 230032, China
| | - Han Wang
- Institute of Clinical Pharmacology, Anhui Medical University, Key Laboratory of Anti-inflammatory and Immune Medicine (Anhui Medical University), Ministry of Education, Anti-inflammatory Immune Drugs Collaborative Innovation Center, Anhui Province, Hefei 230032, China
| | - Lingling Zhang
- Institute of Clinical Pharmacology, Anhui Medical University, Key Laboratory of Anti-inflammatory and Immune Medicine (Anhui Medical University), Ministry of Education, Anti-inflammatory Immune Drugs Collaborative Innovation Center, Anhui Province, Hefei 230032, China.
| | - Wei Wei
- Institute of Clinical Pharmacology, Anhui Medical University, Key Laboratory of Anti-inflammatory and Immune Medicine (Anhui Medical University), Ministry of Education, Anti-inflammatory Immune Drugs Collaborative Innovation Center, Anhui Province, Hefei 230032, China.
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41
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Infante A, Gener B, Vázquez M, Olivares N, Arrieta A, Grau G, Llano I, Madero L, Bueno AM, Sagastizabal B, Gerovska D, Araúzo‐Bravo MJ, Astigarraga I, Rodríguez CI. Reiterative infusions of MSCs improve pediatric osteogenesis imperfecta eliciting a pro-osteogenic paracrine response: TERCELOI clinical trial. Clin Transl Med 2021; 11:e265. [PMID: 33463067 PMCID: PMC7805402 DOI: 10.1002/ctm2.265] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2020] [Revised: 12/04/2020] [Accepted: 12/07/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Osteogenesis imperfecta (OI) is a rare genetic disease characterized by bone fragility, with a wide range in the severity of clinical manifestations. The majority of cases are due to mutations in the COL1A1 or COL1A2 genes, which encode type I collagen. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), as the progenitors of the osteoblasts, the main type I collagen secreting cell type in the bone, have been proposed and tested as an innovative therapy for OI with promising but transient outcomes. METHODS To overcome the short-term effect of MSCs therapy, we performed a phase I clinical trial based on reiterative infusions of histocompatible MSCs, administered in a 2.5-year period, in two pediatric patients affected by severe and moderate OI. The aim of this study was to assess the safety and effectiveness of this cell therapy in nonimmunosuppressed OI patients. The host response to MSCs was studied by analyzing the sera from OI patients, collected before, during, and after the cell therapy. RESULTS We first demonstrated that the sequential administration of MSCs was safe and improved the bone parameters and quality of life of OI patients along the cell treatment plus 2-year follow-up period. Moreover, the study of the mechanism of action indicated that MSCs therapy elicited a pro-osteogenic paracrine response in patients, especially noticeable in the patient affected by severe OI. CONCLUSIONS Our results demonstrate the feasibility and potential of reiterative MSCs infusion for two pediatric OI and highlight the paracrine response shown by patients as a consequence of MSCs treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arantza Infante
- Stem Cells and Cell Therapy LaboratoryBiocruces Bizkaia Health Research InstituteCruces University HospitalBarakaldoSpain
| | - Blanca Gener
- Stem Cells and Cell Therapy LaboratoryBiocruces Bizkaia Health Research InstituteCruces University HospitalBarakaldoSpain
- Service of GeneticsCruces University HospitalBarakaldoSpain
| | - Miguel Vázquez
- Department of PediatricsBiocruces Bizkaia Health Research InstituteCruces University HospitalBarakaldoSpain
| | - Nerea Olivares
- Department of Biochemistry, Immunology UnitCruces University HospitalBarakaldoSpain
| | - Arantza Arrieta
- Department of Biochemistry, Immunology UnitCruces University HospitalBarakaldoSpain
| | - Gema Grau
- Department of PediatricsBiocruces Bizkaia Health Research InstituteCruces University HospitalBarakaldoSpain
| | - Isabel Llano
- Service of GeneticsCruces University HospitalBarakaldoSpain
| | - Luis Madero
- Department of Pediatric Hematology, Oncology and Stem CellsNiño Jesús University Children´s HospitalMadridSpain
| | - Ana Maria Bueno
- Department of Orthopedic SurgeryGetafe University HospitalMadridSpain
| | | | - Daniela Gerovska
- Computational Biology and Systems Biomedicine Research GroupBiodonostia Health Research InstituteDonostiaSpain
| | - Marcos J Araúzo‐Bravo
- Computational Biology and Systems Biomedicine Research GroupBiodonostia Health Research InstituteDonostiaSpain
| | - Itziar Astigarraga
- Department of PediatricsBiocruces Bizkaia Health Research InstituteCruces University HospitalBarakaldoSpain
- Department of PediatricsBasque Country University UPV/EHULeioaSpain
| | - Clara I. Rodríguez
- Stem Cells and Cell Therapy LaboratoryBiocruces Bizkaia Health Research InstituteCruces University HospitalBarakaldoSpain
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42
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Goto T, Murata M, Nishida T, Terakura S, Kamoshita S, Ishikawa Y, Ushijima Y, Adachi Y, Suzuki S, Kato K, Hirakawa A, Nishiwaki S, Nishio N, Takahashi Y, Kodera Y, Matsushita T, Kiyoi H. Phase I clinical trial of intra-bone marrow cotransplantation of mesenchymal stem cells in cord blood transplantation. Stem Cells Transl Med 2020; 10:542-553. [PMID: 33314650 PMCID: PMC7980216 DOI: 10.1002/sctm.20-0381] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2020] [Revised: 10/23/2020] [Accepted: 11/12/2020] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have immunomodulatory properties and support hematopoiesis in the bone marrow (BM). To develop a new strategy to not only prevent graft‐vs‐host disease (GVHD) but also to enhance engraftment, a phase I trial of cord blood transplantation (CBT) combined with intra‐BM injection of MSCs (MSC‐CBT) was designed. Third‐party BM‐derived MSCs were injected intra‐BM on the day of CBT. The conditioning regimen varied according to patient characteristics. GVHD prophylaxis was tacrolimus and methotrexate. The primary endpoint was toxicity related to intra‐BM injection of MSCs. Clinical outcomes were compared with those of six controls who received CBT alone. Five adult patients received MSC‐CBT, and no adverse events related to intra‐BM injection of MSCs were observed. All patients achieved neutrophil, reticulocyte, and platelet recoveries, with median times to recoveries of 21, 35, and 38 days, respectively, comparable with controls. Grade II‐IV acute GVHD developed in three controls but not in MSC‐CBT patients. No patients developed chronic GVHD in both groups. At 1 year after transplantation, all MSC‐CBT patients survived without relapse. This study shows the safety of MSC‐CBT, and the findings also suggest that cotransplantation of MSCs may prevent GVHD with no inhibition of engraftment. This trial was registered at the University Hospital Medical Information Network Clinical Trials Registry as number 000024291.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tatsunori Goto
- Department of Hematology and Oncology, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Makoto Murata
- Department of Hematology and Oncology, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Tetsuya Nishida
- Department of Hematology and Oncology, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Seitaro Terakura
- Department of Hematology and Oncology, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Sonoko Kamoshita
- Department of Hematology and Oncology, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Yuichi Ishikawa
- Department of Hematology and Oncology, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Yoko Ushijima
- Department of Hematology and Oncology, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Yoshiya Adachi
- Department of Hematology and Oncology, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Satoshi Suzuki
- Center for Advanced Medicine and Clinical Research, Nagoya University Hospital, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Katsuyoshi Kato
- Center for Advanced Medicine and Clinical Research, Nagoya University Hospital, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Akihiro Hirakawa
- Center for Advanced Medicine and Clinical Research, Nagoya University Hospital, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Satoshi Nishiwaki
- Center for Advanced Medicine and Clinical Research, Nagoya University Hospital, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Nobuhiro Nishio
- Center for Advanced Medicine and Clinical Research, Nagoya University Hospital, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Yoshiyuki Takahashi
- Department of Pediatrics, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Yoshihisa Kodera
- Department of Promotion for Blood and Marrow Transplantation, Aichi Medical University School of Medicine, Nagakute, Japan
| | - Tadashi Matsushita
- Department of Transfusion Medicine, Nagoya University Hospital, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Hitoshi Kiyoi
- Department of Hematology and Oncology, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan
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43
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Introna M, Golay J. Tolerance to Bone Marrow Transplantation: Do Mesenchymal Stromal Cells Still Have a Future for Acute or Chronic GvHD? Front Immunol 2020; 11:609063. [PMID: 33362797 PMCID: PMC7759493 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2020.609063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2020] [Accepted: 11/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Mesenchymal Stromal Cells (MSCs) are fibroblast-like cells of mesodermal origin present in many tissues and which have the potential to differentiate to osteoblasts, adipocytes and chondroblasts. They also have a clear immunosuppressive and tissue regeneration potential. Indeed, the initial classification of MSCs as pluripotent stem cells, has turned into their identification as stromal progenitors. Due to the relatively simple procedures available to expand in vitro large numbers of GMP grade MSCs from a variety of different tissues, many clinical trials have tested their therapeutic potential in vivo. One pathological condition where MSCs have been quite extensively tested is steroid resistant (SR) graft versus host disease (GvHD), a devastating condition that may occur in acute or chronic form following allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. The clinical and experimental results obtained have outlined a possible efficacy of MSCs, but unfortunately statistical significance in clinical studies has only rarely been reached and effects have been relatively limited in most cases. Nonetheless, the extremely complex pathogenetic mechanisms at the basis of GvHD, the fact that studies have been conducted often in patients who had been previously treated with multiple lines of therapy, the variable MSC doses and schedules administered in different trials, the lack of validated potency assays and clear biomarkers, the difference in MSC sources and production methods may have been major factors for this lack of clear efficacy in vivo. The heterogeneity of MSCs and their different stromal differentiation potential and biological activity may be better understood through more refined single cell sequencing and proteomic studies, where either an “anti-inflammatory” or a more “immunosuppressive” profile can be identified. We summarize the pathogenic mechanisms of acute and chronic GvHD and the role for MSCs. We suggest that systematic controlled clinical trials still need to be conducted in the most promising clinical settings, using better characterized cells and measuring efficacy with specific biomarkers, before strong conclusions can be drawn about the therapeutic potential of these cells in this context. The same analysis should be applied to other inflammatory, immune or degenerative diseases where MSCs may have a therapeutic potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martino Introna
- Center of Cellular Therapy "G. Lanzani", Division of Haematology, Azienda Socio-Sanitaria Territoriale Papa Giovanni XXIII, Bergamo, Italy
| | - Josée Golay
- Center of Cellular Therapy "G. Lanzani", Division of Haematology, Azienda Socio-Sanitaria Territoriale Papa Giovanni XXIII, Bergamo, Italy.,Fondazione per la Ricerca Ospedale Maggiore, Bergamo, Italy
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44
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Qian L, Liu M, Shen J, Cen J, Zhao D. Hydrogen in Patients With Corticosteroid-Refractory/Dependent Chronic Graft-Versus-Host-Disease: A Single-Arm, Multicenter, Open-Label, Phase 2 Trial. Front Immunol 2020; 11:598359. [PMID: 33324415 PMCID: PMC7724019 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2020.598359] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2020] [Accepted: 11/02/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Chronic graft-versus-host-disease (cGVHD) is the leading cause of late non-relapse mortality after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation(HSCT). There is no standard therapy for patients refractory or dependent to corticosteroid treatment. We hypothesized that hydrogen may exert therapeutic effects on cGVHD patients with few side effects. A prospective open-label phase 2 study of hydrogen was conducted. Patients received hydrogen-rich water 4ml/kg orally three times a day. Responses were graded in the skin, mouth, Gastrointestinal(GI), liver, eyes, lungs and joints and fascia every 3 months. A total of 24 patients (median age 27) were enrolled. Of the 24 patients, 18 (75%; 95% CI, 55.1% to 88%) had an objective response. No significant toxicity was observed. The estimated 4-year overall survival rate was 74.7%(95% CI, 54.9%-94.5%). The survival time was significantly prolonged in the response group. The survival rate at 4 years in the response group is significantly higher than the nonresponse group (86.6% vs 0%; p= 0.000132). Hydrogen showed great efficacy on cGVHD patients and long-term administration of hydrogen was not associated with significant toxic effects. The trial was registered at www.ClinicalTrials.Gov, NCT02918188.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liren Qian
- Department of Hematology, The Sixth Medical Center, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Miao Liu
- Department of Statistics and Epidemiology, Graduate School of Medical School of Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Jianliang Shen
- Department of Hematology, The Sixth Medical Center, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Jian Cen
- Department of Hematology, The Sixth Medical Center, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Defeng Zhao
- Department of Hematology, Boren Hospital, Beijing, China
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45
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Zhang J, Yuan Z, Zhong W, Wei Y. Stem Cell as Vehicles of Antibody in Treatment of Lymphoma: a Novel and Potential Targeted Therapy. Stem Cell Rev Rep 2020; 17:829-841. [PMID: 33205352 DOI: 10.1007/s12015-020-10080-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/08/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Lymphoma is a heterogeneous malignancy and its incidence is increasing in the past decades all over the world. Although more than half of lymphoma patients achieve complete or partial remission from the standard first-line ABVD or R-CHOP based therapy, patients who fail to respond to these regimens will give rise to relapsed or refractory (R/R) lymphoma and may lead to a worse prognosis. Developing novel agents is important for R/R lymphoma. Based on the homing ability and being genetically modified easily, stem cells are usually used as vehicles in cell-based anti-tumor therapy, which can not only retain their own biological characteristics, but also make anti-tumor agents secrete constantly in tumor environment, to eventually kill the tumor cells more effectively. In this review, we will briefly introduce the properties of antibody therapy carried by stem cells, especially the hopes and hurdles of stem cell-mediated antibody secretion in the treatment of lymphoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiayi Zhang
- Department of Blood Transfusion, Guangzhou First People's Hospital, School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.,Guangdong Engineering Research Center of Precise Transfusion, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Zhaohu Yuan
- Department of Blood Transfusion, Guangzhou First People's Hospital, School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Weijie Zhong
- Department of Geriatrics, Hematology & Oncology ward, Guangzhou First People's Hospital, School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Yaming Wei
- Department of Blood Transfusion, Guangzhou First People's Hospital, School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China. .,Guangdong Engineering Research Center of Precise Transfusion, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.
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46
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Boberg E, von Bahr L, Afram G, Lindström C, Ljungman P, Heldring N, Petzelbauer P, Garming Legert K, Kadri N, Le Blanc K. Treatment of chronic GvHD with mesenchymal stromal cells induces durable responses: A phase II study. Stem Cells Transl Med 2020; 9:1190-1202. [PMID: 32573983 PMCID: PMC7519760 DOI: 10.1002/sctm.20-0099] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2020] [Revised: 05/16/2020] [Accepted: 05/24/2020] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Steroid‐refractory chronic graft‐vs‐host disease (cGvHD) contributes to morbidity after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Here, we report on 11 patients with severe, refractory cGvHD treated with repeated infusions of allogeneic bone marrow‐derived mesenchymal stromal cells (MSC) over a 6‐ to 12‐month period. Six patients responded to MSC treatment following National Institutes of Health response criteria, accompanied by improvement in GvHD‐related symptoms and quality of life. This response was durable, with systemic immunosuppressive therapy withdrawn from two responders, and a further two free from steroids and tapering calcineurin inhibitors. All responders displayed a distinct immune phenotype characterized by higher levels of naïve T cells and B cells before treatment compared with the nonresponders, and a significantly higher fraction of CD31+ naïve CD4+ T cells. MSC treatment was associated with significant increases in naïve T cells, B cells, and Tregs 7 days after each infusion. Skin biopsies showed resolution of epidermal pathology. CXCL9 and CXCL10 showed differential responses in responder and nonresponder patients. Our data support the use of MSC infusions as treatment for steroid‐refractory cGvHD with durable responses. We propose CXCL9 and CXCL10 as early biomarkers for responsiveness to MSC treatment. Our results highlight the importance of the MSC recipient immune phenotype in promoting treatment response. This trial was registered at www.ClinicalTrials.gov as #NCT01522716.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erik Boberg
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.,Department of Hematology, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Lena von Bahr
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Gabriel Afram
- Department of Hematology, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.,Department of Medicine, Karolinska Institutet Huddinge, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Carina Lindström
- Department of Cellular Therapy and Allogeneic Stem Cell Transplantation, Karolinska University Hospital Huddinge, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Per Ljungman
- Department of Medicine, Karolinska Institutet Huddinge, Stockholm, Sweden.,Department of Cellular Therapy and Allogeneic Stem Cell Transplantation, Karolinska University Hospital Huddinge, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Nina Heldring
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Peter Petzelbauer
- Skin and Endothelial Research Division, Department of Dermatology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | | | - Nadir Kadri
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Katarina Le Blanc
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.,Department of Cellular Therapy and Allogeneic Stem Cell Transplantation, Karolinska University Hospital Huddinge, Stockholm, Sweden
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