Chapters authored
Mesenchymal Stem/Stromal Cells in Allergic Disease Management
Allergic diseases are a clump of disorders caused by protective or harmful immune responses to specific exogenous stimulations. To date, the worldwide prevalence of allergic diseases has caused considerable perplex to patients and guardians physically and mentally. Despite the significant advances in preclinical investigation and clinical practice, yet the effective treatment strategies for allergic diseases are far from satisfaction. State-of-the-art renewal has highlighted the involvement of mesenchymal stem/stromal cell (MSC)-based cytotherapy for various allergic disease management including atopic dermatitis, pediatric asthma, allergic rhinitis, and urticaria, which largely attributes to the unique immunomodulatory properties and mode of action via autocrine and paracrine, direct- or trans-differentiation. In this chapter, we mainly focus on the latest updates of MSC-based investigations upon allergic disease administration as well as the concomitant prospective and challenges, which will provide overwhelming new references for MSC-based cytotherapy in regenerative medicine.
Part of the book: Allergic Disease
MSC-Derived Exosomes for Tissue Engineering and Disease Intervention
Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), also known as mesenchymal stromal cells or medicinal signaling cells or multipotent stem cells, are heterogeneous cell populations with unique immunomodulatory feature and hematopoietic-supporting capacity. MSCs function through a variety of approaches including paracrine and autocrine, direct- or trans-differentiation, bidirectional immunomodulation, and serving as constitutive microenvironment. Of them, exosomes and microvesicles function as the pivotal vehicle for mediating the ameliorative and therapeutic effect of MSCs toward various recurrent and refractory diseases, such as xerophthalmia, radioactive nasal mucosa injury, acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF), dermal chronic ulcers, and intrauterine adhesions. State-of-the-art renewal has also highlighted the promising prospective of MSC-derived exosomes (MSC-exo) and diverse biomaterial composites in regenerative medicine. In this book chapter, we mainly focus on the concept, biological phenotypes, preclinical research, and clinical practice of MSC-derived exosomes (MSC-Exos) and/or biomaterials, which will collectively supply overwhelming new references for the further development of MSC-Exos-based biotherapy and disease diagnosis in future.
Part of the book: Exosomes
Natural Killer Cells in Atopic Dermatitis Opening Doors to New Treatments
Longitudinal studies have indicated the multifaceted regimens for atopic dermatitis (AD) administration, including ultraviolet phototherapy, oral JAK inhibitors, and the concomitant adjunctive therapies according to the American Academy of Dermatology published Guidelines of Care for the Management of Atopic Dermatitis. As a disease with typical characteristics of relapsing pruritus and chronic inflammation, AD has caused heavy burden on children and adults, as well as healthcare providers and family members. As a multi-factorial disease, AD has been considered primarily derived by Th2 dysfunction, with clinical and molecular heterogeneity. The current therapeutic regimens are various and largely due to the diversity in the wide spectrum of the clinical phenotypes based on epidermal barrier disruption, genetic predisposition, and dysregulation of patients’ immune system. Meanwhile there’s an urgent need for developing safer and long-term agents to efficiently control moderate to severe AD. In this book chapter, we mainly summarized the fundamental concept, clinical manifestation, pathophysiology and molecular mechanisms of AD, and in particular, the biofunction and modulation of natural killer (NK) cells for AD. Collectively, the contents in this chapter will help further understand the landscape of this disease and the rationale behind new emerging therapies.
Part of the book: Latest Breakthroughs in the Treatment of Atopic Dermatitis