Mesenchymal Stem Cells in the Regeneration of Radiation-Induced Organ Sequela

Dear Colleagues,

The purpose of this review is to describe the state of the art of understanding of organ damage induced by radiation and to reflect on the progress of cell therapy treatments principally by Mesenchymal Stem Cells (MSCs, also referred to as mesenchymal stromal cells) of healthy exposed tissues. Synthesis publications and original research are invited.

Pathological wound healing is a characteristic tissue response to moderate- to high-dose radiation exposure and is often associated with radio-induced fibrosis and ultimately necrosis in the irradiated volume. Volume and dose received by organs shape the severity of an organ’s dysfunction. This is particularly true for organs with an organization that parallel their functional units (e.g., lung, liver, skin). The situation is completely different with tissue organized in series (e.g., spinal cord, intestine tract). Irradiation of a very limited volume may be responsible for major complications. Therefore, tissue architecture can affect how sensitive organs are to radiation exposure.

Regenerative medicine brings forth the solution to optimal radio-curability associated with long-term patients’ quality of life. Stem cell therapy continues to receive interest. This is largely because it represents a major disruption from conventional therapies in that aim not only to relieve symptoms but also to address the root cause of the disease by targeting the repair and even regeneration of the damaged tissue. MSCs have attracted much attention for their ability to regulate inflammatory processes. Therapy with MSCs and their associated stem cell product, exosomes, demonstrate good efficacy and safety. In this review, we discuss the current state of the field and outline the potential paths forward toward regenerating the irradiated organs, preclinical and clinical experience of Mesenchymal Stem Cells therapy in the regeneration of radiation-induced organ lesions. 

Dr. Marc Benderitter
Guest Editor

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• biomedical research
• wound healing
• tissue organization
• organ at risk
• radiation
• radio-induced fibrosis
• regenerative medicine
• stem cell therapy
• MSC
• exosome
• ATMP
• clinical trial