Department of Neurosciences, Ophthalmology and Genetics, University of Genoa, Italy.
Curr Stem Cell Res Ther. 2011 Mar;6(1):69-72. doi: 10.2174/157488811794480744.
The lack of therapies fostering remyelination and regeneration of the neural network deranged by the autoimmune attack occurring in multiple sclerosis (MS), is raising great expectations about stem cells therapies for tissue repair. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have been proposed as a possible treatment for MS due to the reported capacity of transdifferentiation into neural cells and their ability at modulating immune responses. However, recent studies have demonstrated that many other functional properties are likely to play a role in the therapeutic plasticity of MSCs, including anti-apoptotic, trophic and anti-oxidant effects. These features are mostly based on the paracrine release of soluble molecules, often dictated by local environmental cues. Based on the modest evidence of long-term engraftment and the striking clinical effects that are observed immediately after MSCs administration in the experimental model of MS, we do not favor a major role for transdifferentiation as an important mechanism involved in the therapeutic effect of MSCs.
多发性硬化症 (MS) 中发生的自身免疫攻击会导致神经网络紊乱，而缺乏促进髓鞘再生和神经网络再生的治疗方法，这使得人们对干细胞治疗组织修复寄予厚望。间充质干细胞 (MSCs) 由于具有向神经细胞转分化的报道能力及其调节免疫反应的能力，被提议作为 MS 的一种可能治疗方法。然而，最近的研究表明，许多其他功能特性可能在 MSCs 的治疗可塑性中发挥作用，包括抗细胞凋亡、营养和抗氧化作用。这些特性主要基于可溶性分子的旁分泌释放，通常由局部环境线索决定。基于长期植入的少量证据，以及在 MS 的实验模型中观察到的 MSC 给药后立即出现的显著临床效果，我们不赞成转分化作为 MSC 治疗效果的重要机制的主要作用。
