Mesenchymal stem cells and their secretome - candidates for safe and effective therapy for systemic lupus erythematosus

More than 80 diseases are currently classified as autoimmune, with a rising prevalence throughout the world. Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is classified as a systemic autoimmune disorder, but the exact pathogenesis of SLE remains elusive. Currently available treatment strategies offer only the possibility for disease remission making it essential to develop more effective and safer strategies for treatment. Recently MSCs are gaining attention as attractive therapeutic tools for autoimmune disease treatment. Special focus should be given to MSCs originated from perinatal tissues such as Wharton's jelly, as they present unique immunomodulatory properties and remarkably low immunogenicity. MSCs exert their immunomodulatory effects via direct cell-to-cell communication as well as in a paracrine manner, creating possibility to apply secretome of MSCs as an individual therapeutic tool. Although the secretome of MSCs has not yet been utilized in SLE treatment, its efficacy has been suggested in other disorders, such as multiple sclerosis or Alzheimer's disease. Regular administration of paracrine factors derived from MSCs could potentially effect in significant reduction of SLE symptoms and in maintenance of disease remission.