Mesenchymal stromal cells for immunoregulation after liver transplantation: the scene in 2016

The current review presents an update on the existing preclinical and human experience of mesenchymal stromal cell (MSC) therapies for post-transplant immunomodulation.

Although results from early clinical studies have demonstrated that the application of autologous and allogeneic MSC to be both safe and feasible in a solid organ transplantation setting, for example in liver, the efficacy of MSC immunotherapy demonstrated in preclinical models has yet to be replicated in human clinical trials.

Eagerly awaited results from the second generation of solid organ transplantation clinical trials, many of which are nearing completion, will perhaps establish the effectiveness of combining MSCs and low-dose pharmacological immunosuppression in promoting graft acceptance. At present, the question of whether infusional cell products based on MSCs will have a significant clinical impact in the field of liver transplantation remains open.