摘要
The therapeutic value of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) for the treatment of infectious diseases and the repair of disease-induced tissue damage has been explored extensively. MSCs inhibit inflammation, reduce pathogen load and tissue damage encountered during infectious diseases through the secretion of antimicrobial factors for pathogen clearance and they phagocytose certain bacteria themselves. MSCs dampen tissue damage during infection by downregulating thelevels of pro-inflammatory cytokines, and inhibiting the excessive recruitment ofneutrophils and proliferation of T cells at the site of injury. MSCs aid in theregeneration of damaged tissue by differentiating into the damaged cell types orby releasing paracrine factors that direct tissue regeneration, differentiation, andwound healing. In this review, we discuss in detail the various mechanisms bywhich MSCs help combat pathogens, tissue damage associated with infectiousdiseases, and challenges in utilizing MSCs for therapy.
