Advanced Therapeutic Applications of Mesenchymal Stromal Cells
A special issue of International Journal of Molecular Sciences (ISSN 1422-0067). This special issue belongs to the section "Molecular Biology".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 28 February 2026
Special Issue Editor
Interests: immunobiology of stem cells; molecular genetics of HLA; tissue-engineered small-diameter vascular grafts; immunobiology of biological scaffolds; mesenchymal stromal cells; hematopoietic stem cells biology
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Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Mesenchymal Stromal Cells (MSCs) represent a multipotent stem cell population originating from the mesoderm, which attracts the interest of the scientific community due to their beneficial applications in regenerative medicine. Although MSCs possess the ability to differentiate into various cell types, they are also associated with key interactions within the immune system. MSCs are capable of presenting antigenic epitopes, thereby inducing immune responses, while also exhibiting notable immunoregulatory properties that can promote the tolerance of overactivated immune responses. Recent evidence arising from clinical trials showed that MSCs were successfully administrated to patients suffering from COVID-19 to effectively tolerate the cytokine release syndrome (CRS), as well as to patients with autoimmune disorders—such as multiple sclerosis (MS) and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)—with beneficial outcome. In the context of advanced therapy medicinal products (ATMPs), MSCs may represent an alternative source of cells for developing personalized cellular therapies. There is a specific legislation framework that should be strictly followed regarding the application of ATMPs in human disorders. Moreover, the majority of advanced cellular therapies rely on the use of patients’ own cells.
However, the isolation of MSCs from patients is an invasive procedure, and, importantly, these cells may be characterized by altered properties in terms of proliferation, expansion, and secretory profile. For this purpose, advanced “off-the-shelf” therapies utilizing third party MSCs may represent a promising solution. To develop “off-the-shelf” therapies, histocompatibility based on Human Leukocyte Antigens (HLAs) between donor and recipient should also be considered to avoid unfavorable outcomes. Typically, resting MSCs express only HLA class I alleles. Upon stimulation by inflammatory cues, there is evidence for the upregulation of HLA class II, possibly contributing to antigenic epitope presentation through a still unidentified mechanism. For a long time, MSCs were considered as immunoprivileged cells, which cannot evoke a host immune response. Recent studies have demonstrated that patients with severe conditions, such as those who have undergone kidney transplantation, may develop sensitization following the infusion of third-party MSCs. Beyond histocompatibility limitations, recently gene-engineered MSCs expressing a Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR) were developed to serve modern ATMPs, showed stable anti-inflammatory cytokine release. Advancing the properties of with genetic manipulation may represent the future of manufacturing such advanced therapeutic applications to combat severe human disorders.
The main aim of this Special Issue is to cover recent significant advances in developing advanced therapeutic applications focused on human disorders utilizing MSCs. This Special Issue welcomes the submission of original research articles, reviews, meta-analyses, and opinion reports that focus on modern applications of MSCs.
Dr. Panagiotis Mallis
Guest Editor
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Keywords
- Mesenchymal Stromal Cells (MSCs)
- regenerative medicine
- antigen presentation
- immunomodulation
- Human Leukocyte Antigens (HLAs)
- autoimmune
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