hESC-derived immune suppressive dendritic cells induce immune tolerance of parental hESC-derived allografts

Effect of gut flora mediated-bile acid metabolism on intestinal immune microenvironment

According to reports, gut microbiota and metabolites regulate the intestinal immune microenvironment. In recent years, an increasing number of studies reported that bile acids (BAs) of intestinal flora origin affect T helper cells and regulatory T cells (Treg cells). Th17 cells play a pro-inflammatory role and Treg cells usually act in an immunosuppressive role. In this review, we emphatically summarised the influence and corresponding mechanism of different configurations of lithocholic acid (LCA) and deoxycholic acid (DCA) on intestinal Th17 cells, Treg cells and intestinal immune microenvironment. The regulation of BAs receptors G protein-coupled bile acid receptor 1 (GPBAR1/TGR5) and farnesoid X receptor (FXR) on immune cells and intestinal environment are elaborated. Furthermore, the potential clinical applications above were also concluded in three aspects. The above will help researchers better understand the effects of gut flora on the intestinal immune microenvironment via BAs and contribute to the development of new targeted drugs.

New Solutions for Old Problems: How Reproductive Tissue Engineering Has Been Revolutionizing Reproductive Medicine

Acquired disorders and congenital defects of the male and female reproductive systems can have profound impacts on patients, causing sexual and endocrine dysfunction and infertility, as well as psychosocial consequences that affect their self-esteem, identity, sexuality, and relationships. Reproductive tissue engineering (REPROTEN) is a promising approach to restore fertility and improve the quality of life of patients with reproductive disorders by developing, replacing, or regenerating cells, tissues, and organs from the reproductive and urinary systems. In this review, we explore the latest advancements in REPROTEN techniques and their applications for addressing degenerative conditions in male and female reproductive organs. We discuss current research and clinical outcomes and highlight the potential of 3D constructs utilizing biomaterials such as scaffolds, cells, and biologically active molecules. Our review offers a comprehensive guide for researchers and clinicians, providing insights into how to reestablish reproductive tissue structure and function using innovative surgical approaches and biomaterials. We highlight the benefits of REPROTEN for patients, including preservation of fertility and hormonal production, reconstruction of uterine and cervical structures, and restoration of sexual and urinary functions. Despite significant progress, REPROTEN still faces ethical and technical challenges that need to be addressed. Our review underscores the importance of continued research in this field to advance the development of effective and safe REPROTEN approaches for patients with reproductive disorders.

Human PSC-derived cardiac cells and their products: therapies for cardiac repair

Despite the dramatic improvements in the management of patients with chronic heart failure which have occurred over the last decades, some of them still exhaust conventional drug-based therapies without being eligible for more aggressive options like heart transplantation or implantation of a left ventricular assist device. Cell therapy has thus emerged as a possible means of filling this niche. Multiple cell types have now been tested both in the laboratory but also in the clinics and it is fair to acknowledge that none of the clinical trials have yet conclusively proven the efficacy of cell-based approaches. These clinical studies, however, have entailed the use of cells from various sources but of non-cardiac lineage origins. Although this might not be the main reason for their failures, the discovery of pluripotent stem cells capable of generating cardiomyocytes now raises the hope that such cardiac-committed cells could be therapeutically more effective. In this review, we will first describe where we currently are with regard to the clinical trials using PSC-differentiated cells and discuss the main issues which remain to be addressed. In parallel, because the capacity of cells to stably engraft in the recipient heart has increasingly been questioned, it has been hypothesized that a major mechanism of action could be the cell-triggered release of biomolecules that foster host-associated reparative pathways. Thus, in the second part of this review, we will discuss the rationale, clinically relevant advantages and pitfalls associated with the use of these PSC "products".

'Off the shelf' immunotherapies: Generation and application of pluripotent stem cell-derived immune cells

In recent years, great strides have been made toward the development of immune cell-based therapies in the treatment of refractory malignancies. Primary T cells and NK cells armed with chimeric antigen receptors have achieved tremendous clinical success especially in patients with leukaemia and lymphoma. However, the autologous origin of these effector cells means that a single batch of laboriously engineered cells treats only a certain patient, leading to high cost, ununiform product quality, and risk of delay in treatment, and therefore results in restricted accessibility of these therapies to the overwhelming majority of the patients. Addressing these tricky obstacles calls for the development of universal immune cell products that can be provided 'off the shelf' in a large amount. Pluripotent stem cells (PSCs), owing to their unique capacity of self-renewal and the potential of multi-lineage differentiation, offer an unlimited cell source to generate uniform and scalable engineered immune cells. This review discusses the major advances in the development of PSC-derived immune cell differentiation approaches and their therapeutic potential in treating both hematologic malignancies and solid tumours. We also consider the potency of PSC-derived immune cells as an alternative therapeutic strategy for other diseases, such as autoimmune diseases, fibrosis, infections, et al.

Emerging immunomodulatory strategies for cell therapeutics

Cellular therapies are poised to transform the field of medicine by restoring dysfunctional tissues and treating various diseases in a dynamic manner not achievable by conventional pharmaceutics. Spanning various therapeutic areas inclusive of cancer, regenerative medicine, and immune disorders, cellular therapies comprise stem or non-stem cells derived from various sources. Despite numerous clinical approvals or trials underway, the host immune response presents a critical impediment to the widespread adoption and success of cellular therapies. Here, we review current research and clinical advances in immunomodulatory strategies to mitigate immune rejection or promote immune tolerance to cellular therapies. We discuss the potential of these immunomodulatory interventions to accelerate translation or maximize the prospects of improving therapeutic outcomes of cellular therapies for clinical success.

Dendritic cells generated from induced pluripotent stem cells and by direct reprogramming of somatic cells

Novel and exciting avenues allow generating dendritic cells (DC) by reprogramming of somatic cells. DC are obtained from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPS cells), referred to as ipDC, and by direct reprogramming of cells toward DC, referred to as induced DC (iDC). iPS cells represent pluripotent stem cells generated by reprogramming of somatic cells and can differentiate into all cell types of the body, including DC. This makes iPS cells and ipDC derived thereof useful for studying various DC subsets, acquiring high cell numbers for research and clinical use, or applying genome editing to generate DC with wanted properties. Thereby, ipDC overcome limitations in specific DC subsets, which are only found in low abundance in blood or lymphoid organs. iDC are generated by direct reprogramming of somatic cells with a specific set of transcription factors and offer an avenue to obtain DC without a pluripotent cell intermediate. ipDC and iDC retain patient and disease-specific mutations and this opens new perspectives for studying DC in disease. This review summarizes the current techniques used to generate ipDC and iDC, and the types and functionality of the DC generated.