Application of Modified Mesenchymal Stem Cells Transplantation in the Treatment of Liver Injury

Abstract

Acute and chronic hepatitis, cirrhosis, and other liver diseases pose a serious threat to human health; however, liver transplantation is the only reliable treatment for the terminal stage of liver diseases. Previous researchers have shown that mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are characterized by differentiation and paracrine effects, as well as anti-oxidative stress and immune regulation functions. When MSCs are transplanted into animals, they migrate to the injured liver tissue along with the circulation, to protect the liver and alleviate the injury through the paracrine, immune regulation and other characteristics, making mesenchymal stem cell transplantation a promising alternative therapy for liver diseases. Although the efficacy of MSCs transplantation has been confirmed in various animal models of liver injury, many researchers have also proposed various pretreatment methods to improve the efficacy of mesenchymal stem cell transplantation, but there is still lack a set of scientific methods system aimed at improving the efficacy of transplantation therapy in scientific research and clinical practice. In this review, we summarize the possible mechanisms of MSCs therapy and compare the existing methods of MSCs modification corresponding to the treatment mechanism, hoping to provide as a reference to help future researchers explore a safe and simple transplantation strategy.