Multipotent mesenchymal stromal cells: A promising strategy to manage alcoholic liver disease

Table 1 Proposed cellular and molecular mechanisms that could contribute to hepatic protection by mesenchymal stem cells in alcoholic liver disease

MSCs in liver inflammation

Inhibit the proliferation of CD8 cytotoxic T lymphocytes and increase the relative rate of CD4 Th2 lymphocytes[97,100]

Inhibit the maturation of monocytes into dendritic cells[94]

Inhibit the secretion of TNF-α, INF-γ, and IL-12 by dendritic cells and increase their secretion of IL-10, reducing the proinflammatory potential[95]

Suppress the proliferation, cytolytic activity, and cytokine secretions of the NK cells[96]

Express indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase upon INF-γ stimulation, leading to tryptophan depletion and the inhibition of T-cell proliferation[98]

MSCs in liver fibrosis

Reduce the proliferation of HSCs and the synthesis of collagen type I through the secretion of TNF-α[125]

Induce HSCs apoptosis[124]

Express matrix metalloproteinase-9, which degrades the extracellular matrix[128,129]

MSCs in liver regeneration

Secrete trophic factors (HGF, EGF, and IGF-1) that promote hepatocyte proliferation and function during liver regeneration[68,128,130]

EGF: Epidermal growth factor; HGF: Hepatocyte growth factor; HSC: Hepatic stellate cell; IGF-1: Insulin-like growth factor-1; IL: Interleukin; INF-γ: Interferon-γ; MSC: Mesenchymal stem cell; TNF-α: Tumor necrosis factor-α.