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World J Gastroenterol. Nov 28, 2014; 20(44): 16418-16432
Published online Nov 28, 2014. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v20.i44.16418
Rationale for the potential use of mesenchymal stromal cells in liver transplantation
Morgan Vandermeulen, Céline Grégoire, Alexandra Briquet, Chantal Lechanteur, Yves Beguin, Olivier Detry
Morgan Vandermeulen, Olivier Detry, Department of Abdominal Surgery and Transplantation, CHU Liege, University of Liege, B4000 Liege, Wallonia, Belgium
Céline Grégoire, Yves Beguin, Department of Hematology, CHU Liege, University of Liege, B4000 Liege, Wallonia, Belgium
Alexandra Briquet, Chantal Lechanteur, Yves Beguin, Laboratory of Cell and Gene Therapy, CHU Liege, University of Liege, Sart Tilman B35, B4000 Liege, Wallonia, Belgium
Author contributions: Vandermeulen M performed the literature review and wrote the manuscript under the supervision of Beguin Y and Detry O; Grégoire C, Briquet A and Lechanteur C are responsible for the culture and production of the mesenchymal stromal cells used in the clinical study on the use of the aforementioned in liver transplantation performed at the Liege center; all authors actively reviewed the manuscript, and approved its last version.
Supported by CHU Liege, the Fonds Léon Frédéricq of the Medical School of the University of Liege, and through a Senior Research Grant from the European Society for Organ Transplantation
Correspondence to: Olivier Detry, Professor, Department of Abdominal Surgery and Transplantation, CHU Liege, University of Liege, Sart Tilman B35, B4000 Liege, Wallonia, Belgium. olivier.detry@transplantation.be
Telephone: +32-43-667645 Fax: +32-43-667069
Received: May 5, 2014
Revised: June 4, 2014
Accepted: August 13, 2014
Published online: November 28, 2014
Abstract

Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) are multipotent and self-renewing cells that reside essentially in the bone marrow as a non-hematopoietic cell population, but may also be isolated from the connective tissues of most organs. MSCs represent a heterogeneous population of adult, fibroblast-like cells characterized by their ability to differentiate into tissues of mesodermal lineages including adipocytes, chondrocytes and osteocytes. For several years now, MSCs have been evaluated for their in vivo and in vitro immunomodulatory and ‘tissue reconstruction’ properties, which could make them interesting in various clinical settings, and particularly in organ transplantation. This paper aims to review current knowledge on the properties of MSCs and their use in pre-clinical and clinical studies in solid organ transplantation, and particularly in the field of liver transplantation. The first available clinical data seem to show that MSCs are safe to use, at least in the medium-term, but more time is needed to evaluate the potential adverse effects of long-term use. Many issues must be resolved on the correct use of MSCs. Intensive in vitro and pre-clinical research are the keys to a better understanding of the way that MSCs act, and to eventually lead to clinical success.

Keywords: Mesenchymal stem cells, Organ transplantation, Complication, Immunosuppression, Tolerance

Core tip: For several years now, mesenchymal stromal cells (MSC) have been evaluated for their in vivo and in vitro immunomodulatory and ‘tissue reconstruction’ properties which could make them interesting in various clinical settings, and particularly in organ transplantation. This paper aims to review current knowledge on the properties of MSCs and their use in pre-clinical and clinical studies, and particularly in the field of liver transplantation.