Human mesenchymal stem cells exhibit dual immunosuppressive and antimicrobial effector functions – Implications for their clinical use

In addition to their multilineage differentiation potential mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) support hematopoiesis and modulate the adaptive immune system. Based on these properties human MSC are currently under intensive clinical investigation in different therapeutic applications including tissue repair and immune-mediated disorders such as graft rejection and graft-versus-host disease after haematopoietic stem cell transplantation. With regard to the clinical use in immune-mediated disorders, it is a matter of concern that application of MSC might inadvertently inhibit antimicrobial immune responses with an incre…