Importance of the field: Bone-marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BMMSC) are multipotent non-hematopoietic progenitor cells that are being explored as a promising new treatment for tissue regeneration. Although their immunomodulatory properties are not yet completely understood, their low immunogenic potential together with their effects on immune response make them a promising therapeutic tool for severe refractory autoimmune diseases including systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).
Area covered in this review: Our aim is to discuss recent progress in understanding the role of malfunctioning BMMSC in etiopathogenesis of SLE and to explore allogenic BMMSC transplantation as a potential therapy for SLE.
What the reader will gain: Recent evidence suggests that the functions of BMMSC are disrupted in SLE pathology. This malfunction may result as a corollary of the disease, or may play a more fundamental role in its etiopathogenesis. We provide a brief characterization of BMMSC immunomodulatory effects, and describe our current understanding of the mechanisms by which it plays a part in treating SLE. We also present our clinical trial using allogenic BMMSC in this context.
Take home message: Allogenic BMMSC appear to be a safe therapeutic option for treatment-resistant SLE as illustrated in our clinical trial.