Immunoregulatory Functions of Mesenchymal Stem Cells (MSCs)

A special issue of Cells (ISSN 2073-4409). This special issue belongs to the section "Stem Cells".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 October 2025 | Viewed by 953

Special Issue Editor


E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Biology, University of Mary Hardin-Baylor, Belton, TX, USA
Interests: stem cells; mesenchymal stem cells; 3D culture; bioinformatics; immunology
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have drawn much interest from scientists for decades. Studies have focused on the basic characteristics and properties of MSCs and have shown that these cells can be obtained from various locations throughout the body, such as bone marrow, adipose tissue, the umbilical cord, and the synovium. Other studies have shown that MSCs can differentiate into many cells, such as osteoblasts, chondrocytes, and adipocytes, providing potential therapeutic approaches. Initially, the MSC-mediated therapeutic effects were thought to be attributed to their ability to differentiate; however, the focus has shifted to their paracrine effects and specifically to their ability to modulate immune responses. Many in vitro and in vivo studies have demonstrated the capability of MSCs to secrete factors and interact with immune cells to either suppress immune reactions or promote specific immune system-related functions.

This Special Issue aims to bring together original research and comprehensive reviews regarding the immunoregulatory functions of MSCs. Invitation extends to both basic and translational research that seeks to further the understanding of the important effects of MSCs on immune cells and systems.

Dr. Joni H. Ylostalo
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Cells is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • mesenchymal stem cells
  • MSCs
  • immunoregulation
  • immunosuppression

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • Reprint: MDPI Books provides the opportunity to republish successful Special Issues in book format, both online and in print.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (1 paper)

Order results
Result details
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Review

20 pages, 3807 KiB  
Review
Effects of Mesenchymal Stem Cells on Functions of Chimeric Antigen Receptor-Expressing T Lymphocytes and Natural Killer Cells
by Vladislav Volarevic, Carl Randall Harrell, Aleksandar Arsenijevic, Valentin Djonov and Ana Volarevic
Cells 2025, 14(13), 978; https://doi.org/10.3390/cells14130978 - 25 Jun 2025
Viewed by 619
Abstract
Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-engineered immune cells, particularly CAR T lymphocytes and CAR natural killer (NK) cells, have revolutionized cancer immunotherapy. However, their therapeutic efficacy and safety can be influenced by the tumor microenvironment, particularly the presence of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). MSCs are [...] Read more.
Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-engineered immune cells, particularly CAR T lymphocytes and CAR natural killer (NK) cells, have revolutionized cancer immunotherapy. However, their therapeutic efficacy and safety can be influenced by the tumor microenvironment, particularly the presence of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). MSCs are immunomodulatory cells which can alter the function of tumor-infiltrated immune cells in both supportive and suppressive ways. Results obtained in recently conducted experimental studies demonstrate that MSCs modulate proliferation, cytotoxicity, cytokine production and anti-tumor activity in CAR-expressing immune cells in both a juxtacrine and a paracrine manner. While MSCs can enhance CAR cell viability and persistence through trophic support, they may also impair cytotoxic function and promote an immunosuppressive phenotype under certain conditions. Understanding the dualistic nature of MSCs in CAR-based immunotherapy for malignant diseases is critical for optimizing clinical outcomes. Additionally, MSCs may serve as vehicles for targeted delivery of immunomodulatory agents, and should be considered as active components in the design of next-generation CAR-based immunotherapies. Accordingly, in this review article we emphasize molecular and cellular mechanisms involved in MSC-dependent modulation of CAR-expressing immune cells, paving the way for more efficient CAR-based immunotherapy for malignant diseases. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Immunoregulatory Functions of Mesenchymal Stem Cells (MSCs))
Show Figures

Figure 1

Back to TopTop