About this Research Topic
Multipotent mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (MSCs) are progenitor cells and exert several functions including support of hematopoiesis, regeneration, resistance to fibrosis, apoptosis or hypertrophy. MSCs also have immunomodulatory and immunosuppressive properties that may explain various positive results in cell therapy for inflammatory diseases. MSCs can affect both the innate and the adaptive immunity. This immunosuppressive effect is mainly due to the secretion of soluble factors and by direct contact with immune cells. Recent advances have established that plasticity of immune functions occur in distinct metabolic stress features. Evidence has accumulated which indicate that specific metabolic signatures dictate appropriate immune functions in both innate and adaptive immunity. Thus, cellular metabolism and immunity are intertwined and must be considered together.
Metabolic alterations have been reported for MSCs. The influence these metabolic changes have on MSC functional properties is beginning to emerge. Therefore, a clearer understanding of how MSC metabolism impacts immunomodulatory function will have a large interest, especially for future MSC-based therapies. Indeed, targeting cellular metabolism has become an attractive target area for therapeutic purposes. Recently, it has been shown that manipulating metabolic pathways of cancer cells, T-cells or immune suppressor cells can enhance anti-cancer immunity and suppress tumor growth.
The aim of the current Research Topic is to cover promising, recent, and novel research trends characterizing MSC metabolism, deciphering MSC immunomodulatory properties related to energy metabolism and guiding future perspectives for therapeutic applications involving MSCs.
The Research Topic welcomes original research articles and review articles exploring but not limited to the following:
• characteristics of MSC metabolism
• metabolic modulation of immune function in MSC
• advanced MSC therapeutic efficacy using a "metabolic" strategy
Dr. Khoury is the CSO of Cells for Cells and REGENERO, a Chilean consortium for regenerative medicine affiliated to the University of Los Andes, Chile. Dr. Khoury receives stipends from this consortium. The other Topic Editors declare no competing interests with regard to the Research Topic theme.
Metabolic alterations have been reported for MSCs. The influence these metabolic changes have on MSC functional properties is beginning to emerge. Therefore, a clearer understanding of how MSC metabolism impacts immunomodulatory function will have a large interest, especially for future MSC-based therapies. Indeed, targeting cellular metabolism has become an attractive target area for therapeutic purposes. Recently, it has been shown that manipulating metabolic pathways of cancer cells, T-cells or immune suppressor cells can enhance anti-cancer immunity and suppress tumor growth.
The aim of the current Research Topic is to cover promising, recent, and novel research trends characterizing MSC metabolism, deciphering MSC immunomodulatory properties related to energy metabolism and guiding future perspectives for therapeutic applications involving MSCs.
The Research Topic welcomes original research articles and review articles exploring but not limited to the following:
• characteristics of MSC metabolism
• metabolic modulation of immune function in MSC
• advanced MSC therapeutic efficacy using a "metabolic" strategy
Dr. Khoury is the CSO of Cells for Cells and REGENERO, a Chilean consortium for regenerative medicine affiliated to the University of Los Andes, Chile. Dr. Khoury receives stipends from this consortium. The other Topic Editors declare no competing interests with regard to the Research Topic theme.
Keywords: MSCs, cellular metabolism, immunomodulation, MSC therapeutics
Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
