Review
Copyright ©The Author(s) 2024. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
World J Stem Cells. Jul 26, 2024; 16(7): 742-759
Published online Jul 26, 2024. doi: 10.4252/wjsc.v16.i7.742
Wharton’s jelly mesenchymal stem cells: Future regenerative medicine for clinical applications in mitigation of radiation injury
Prashasti Sharma, Dharmendra Kumar Maurya
Prashasti Sharma, Dharmendra Kumar Maurya, Life Sciences, Homi Bhabha National Institute, Mumbai 400094, Maharashtra, India
Prashasti Sharma, Dharmendra Kumar Maurya, Radiation Biology & Health Sciences Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai 400085, Maharashtra, India
Author contributions: Sharma P collected the references, drew the figures, and drafted the manuscript; Maurya DK contributed to the conception, design, editing, and finalizing of the review; All authors read and approved the final manuscript.
Conflict-of-interest statement: The authors report no relevant conflicts of interest for this article.
Open-Access: This article is an open-access article that was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: https://creativecommons.org/Licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Corresponding author: Dharmendra Kumar Maurya, BSc, MSc, PhD, Radiation Biology & Health Sciences Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, 3-82-S, A-block, Modular Laboratory, Mumbai 400085, Maharashtra, India. dkmaurya@barc.gov.in
Received: March 18, 2024
Revised: May 28, 2024
Accepted: June 24, 2024
Published online: July 26, 2024
Processing time: 128 Days and 22.3 Hours
Abstract

Wharton’s jelly mesenchymal stem cells (WJ-MSCs) are gaining significant attention in regenerative medicine for their potential to treat degenerative diseases and mitigate radiation injuries. WJ-MSCs are more naïve and have a better safety profile, making them suitable for both autologous and allogeneic transplantations. This review highlights the regenerative potential of WJ-MSCs and their clinical applications in mitigating various types of radiation injuries. In this review, we will also describe why WJ-MSCs will become one of the most probable stem cells for future regenerative medicine along with a balanced view on their strengths and weaknesses. Finally, the most updated literature related to both preclinical and clinical usage of WJ-MSCs for their potential application in the regeneration of tissues and organs will also be compiled.

Keywords: Stem cells; Wharton’s jelly mesenchymal stem cells; Radiotherapy; Xerostomia; Lung fibrosis

Core Tip: Stem cells, particularly Wharton’s jelly mesenchymal stem cells (WJ-MSCs), are pivotal in cell-based therapy due to their robust tissue repair abilities. While radiotherapy is a common cancer treatment, it often causes collateral damage to healthy tissues, reducing its efficacy. WJ-MSCs, resembling embryonic stem cells, exhibit superior differentiation and safety, making them ideal for both autologous and allogeneic transplants. This review emphasizes WJ-MSCs’ regenerative potential and clinical utility in alleviating radiation-induced injuries resulting from radiotherapy across various cancer types.