Action mechanism of mesenchymal stem cells and their derivatives in the treatment of liver fibrosis

Fan Longyu; Yuan Xiao; Xie Yanan; Yin Xiaoxuan

doi:10.12307/2026.791

Abstract：BACKGROUND:Multiple chronic liver diseases that fail to heal will progress to the stage of liver fibrosis.If not treated in a timely manner,they will eventually develop into liver cancer,severely threatening the safety of patients'lives.However,there is currently no specific drug for the treatment of liver fibrosis.Recent studies have demonstrated that mesenchymal stem cell therapy has significant advantages over traditional treatment protocols,providing a new direction for the treatment of liver fibrosis. OBJECTIVE:To review the mechanisms of action of mesenchymal stem cells and their derivatives in the treatment of liver fibrosis. METHODS:The Chinese and English keywords"mesenchymal stem cells,mesenchymal stromal cells,MSCs,liver fibrosis,hepatic fibrosis,hepatocyte death,liver cell death,hepatocyte-like cells,immunomodulation,macrophage,hepatic stellate cells,clinical trials,clinical studies"were used and searched in CNKI and PubMed databases,a total of 81 eligible articles were selected for this review. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Through summarizing existing studies,the mechanisms by which mesenchymal stem cells and their derivatives exert anti-fibrotic effects and delay disease progression have been identified.These specific mechanisms include reducing hepatocyte death,differentiating into hepatocyte-like cells,regulating immune responses,and inhibiting the activation of hepatic stellate cells.These findings confirm that mesenchymal stem cells and their derivatives can serve as a new research direction for the treatment of liver fibrosis-related diseases.