Puglisi Maria Ausiliatrice, Tesori Valentina, Lattanzi Wanda, Piscaglia Anna Chiara, Gasbarrini Giovanni Battista, D'Ugo Domenico M, Gasbarrini Antonio
GI & Liver Stem Cell Research Group, Department of Internal Medicine and Gastroenterology, Gemelli Hospital, Largo A. Gemelli 8, 00168 Rome, Italy.
J Biomed Biotechnol. 2011;2011:860578. doi: 10.1155/2011/860578. Epub 2011 Dec 20.
Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), represent an attractive tool for the establishment of a successful stem-cell-based therapy of liver diseases. A number of different mechanisms contribute to the therapeutic effects exerted by MSCs, since these cells can differentiate into functional hepatic cells and can also produce a series of growth factors and cytokines able to suppress inflammatory responses, reduce hepatocyte apoptosis, regress liver fibrosis, and enhance hepatocyte functionality. To date, the infusion of MSCs or MSC-conditioned medium has shown encouraging results in the treatment of fulminant hepatic failure and in end-stage liver disease in experimental settings. However, some issues under debate hamper the use of MSCs in clinical trials. This paper summarizes the biological relevance of MSCs and the potential benefits and risks that can result from translating the MSC research to the treatment of liver diseases.
间充质干细胞（MSCs）是基于干细胞的成功肝病治疗方法的一个有吸引力的工具。多种不同机制促成了MSCs发挥的治疗作用，因为这些细胞可以分化为功能性肝细胞，还能产生一系列生长因子和细胞因子，能够抑制炎症反应、减少肝细胞凋亡、消退肝纤维化并增强肝细胞功能。迄今为止，在实验环境中，输注MSCs或MSCs条件培养基在暴发性肝衰竭和终末期肝病的治疗中已显示出令人鼓舞的结果。然而，一些存在争议的问题阻碍了MSCs在临床试验中的应用。本文总结了MSCs的生物学相关性以及将MSCs研究转化为肝病治疗可能带来的潜在益处和风险。
