A molecular systems architecture of the mesenchymal stromal cell microenvironment

A systems-level understanding of immunomodulatory, regenerative, and pro-/antifibrosis functions of mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) is critical to advance MSCs as a viable therapeutic option. Given the complexity of MSCs and their interactions with microenvironmental cells, a systems biology approach may enable such understanding to achieve practical objectives such as target identification, combination therapeutics, clinical strategies, and avoidance of adverse effects. In this study, a molecular systems architecture of MSCs microenvironment is developed to organize the complexity of biomolecular interactions between MSCs and other microenvironmental cells. This architecture provides a visual mapping of MSC interactions, identifies the complex crosstalk between MSCs and cells in the microenvironment, reveals potential targets, and offers a framework for creating future predictive, quantitative computational (in silico) models of the MSC microenvironment. The development of combination therapeutics, clinical strategies to improve therapeutic efficacy, and avoidance of adverse effects can be facilitated by such in silico models. However, it must all begin with a molecular systems architecture of MSCs-the objective and result of this study.