Induced pluripotent stem cells are alternative source to obtain homologous population of Mesenchymal stem cells. To collect autologous MSC’s is a cumbersome invasive procedure. A recent study has developed an induced Mesenchymal stem cells (iMSC) derived from Urine epithelium. In simple terms, urine from the patient is collected and the epithelial cells from the urine is differentiated under laboratory conditions to obtain autologous iMSC’s. These Urine epithelial cells MSC's pose advantages over primary stem cells 1) non- invasive method of collection, 2) low immunogenicity, 3) greater expandability and 4) highly proliferative. These iMSC’s are comparable to the umbilical cord derived mesenchymal stem cell in terms of trilineage differentiation (osteocytes, adipocytes, and chondrocytes), expression of mesenchymal specific markers such as CD73, CD90, CD105 and normal karyotype.
The immunomodulatory characteristics of stem cells are documented over decades. In the recent paper (https://doi.org/10.3390/cells10113006), this urine derived iMSC’s are reported to regulate/modulate T regulatory cells (Treg), to dampen inflammation by increasing the milieu of anti-inflammatory cytokines and activating macrophages to clear the debris and restore the damaged tissue. These Treg cells are beneficial cells, suppress immune response, thereby maintaining homeostasis and self-tolerance.
The overall mechanism discussed in the published article
- iMSC’s transfer mitochondria through tunneling nanotubes to the immune cells to immuno-modulate the inflammatory milleu. The transferred mitochondria improve the bioenergetics of the recipient immune cell.
- iMSC’c can suppress the expression of effector T-cells thereby halting the steering immune responses.
- Delivered to the mouse eyes, iMSC’s can either recruit Treg cells from the systemic circulation to the site of inflammation or modulate the local immune population within the retina into anti-inflammatory Tregs.
- iMSC's can improve visual function in an ischemic mouse model.
Light at the end of the tunnel towards personalized stem cell research and non-invasive therapies
References
1. Mona Agrawal et al., Cells 2021 https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4409/10/11/3006/htm
2. Rajasingh et al., Journal of cellular and Molecular medicine (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/labs/pmc/articles/PMC8435459/)