Stem Cells International最新文献

{"title":"Molecular Mechanisms and Clinical Applications of Neural Regeneration Through Dental Pulp Stem Cells.","authors":"Xinxuan Wang, Baicheng Yi","doi":"10.1155/sci/8069882","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1155/sci/8069882","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Neural injuries affecting both the central nervous system (CNS) and peripheral nervous system (PNS) pose a great clinical challenge due to the neural tissue's limited self-regenerative capacity. Human dental pulp stem cells (hDPSCs), derived from the neural crest and easily obtained from extracted teeth, exhibit considerable potential for neural regeneration. This potential is attributed to their ability to directly differentiate into various neuronal cell types, paracrine effects, and interactions with biomaterial scaffolds. In this review, we reviewed the molecular mechanisms by which hDPSCs support neural repair, highlighting their direct neuronal differentiation function, neuroprotection function via paracrine signaling, and recent innovations in biomaterial scaffolds that enhance the viability of hDPSCs for neuroregenerative applications. Preclinical studies have shown promising therapeutic effects of hDPSCs in spinal cord injuries (SCI), strokes, Parkinson's disease (PD), Alzheimer's disease (AD), and peripheral nerve injuries. However, challenges remain, including optimizing neuronal differentiation specificity, ensuring immunological safety, and achieving scalable clinical applications. Future research should focus on standardizing manufacturing protocols, implementing strict quality control, and developing functional assays linked to neural recovery to maximize the potential of hDPSCs for nervous system regeneration.</p>","PeriodicalId":21962,"journal":{"name":"Stem Cells International","volume":"2026 ","pages":"8069882"},"PeriodicalIF":3.3,"publicationDate":"2026-04-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13058444/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147646672","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Mitochondrial Dynamics Disorder Drives Nucleus Pulposus Cell Senescence in Lumbar Scoliosis of Aging Bipedal Rats Under Asymmetric Force.","authors":"Ji Wang, Daigui Cao, Jing Peng, Xu Zhou, Zhiwei Liu, Xinxing Wang, Anwei Zhang, Kai Shen","doi":"10.1155/sci/1581661","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1155/sci/1581661","url":null,"abstract":"&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Objective: &lt;/strong&gt;The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of mitochondrial dynamics disorder driving nucleus pulposus cell (NPC) senescence in lumbar scoliosis of aging bipedal rats under asymmetric force.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Methods: &lt;/strong&gt;A rat model of lumbar scoliosis with asymmetric force was established using nickel-titanium springs and anchorage screws. The condition of lumbar scoliosis was observed by X-ray. MicroCT was used for 3D reconstruction of the microporous structure of the lumbar endplates. Histopathological changes in the L4/5 intervertebral disc were observed using Hematoxylin and Eosin (H&E) staining and Safranin O-Fast Green staining. Immunohistochemical staining was used to observe the expression of IL-8, IL-6, MMP-3, and MMP-13 in the cells of the L4/5 intervertebral disc tissue. Western blot was performed to analyze the protein expression of p53, p21, p16, p-p65, NLRP3, mitofusin 2 (Mfn2), dynamin-related protein 1 (Drp1), OPA1, and Fis1. The mitochondrial morphology in NPCs of the L4/5 intervertebral disc was observed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The levels of superoxide dismutase (SOD), malondialdehyde (MDA), and adenosine triphosphate (ATP) in the nucleus pulposus tissue of lumbar scoliosis were measured using commercial assay kits. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) content in the nucleus pulposus tissue was quantified by flow cytometry.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Results: &lt;/strong&gt;X-ray and MicroCT-3D revealed that rats in the asymmetric group exhibited significant scoliosis deformity, accompanied by marked reductions in bone mineral density (BMD), tissue mineral density (TMD), bone volume fraction (BV/TV), and trabecular thickness (Tb.Th). H&E staining and Safranin O-Fast Green staining demonstrated that asymmetric force significantly exacerbated pathological changes in the intervertebral disc, particularly damage to the cartilage endplate, chondrocyte necrosis, and hyperplasia. Immunohistochemical results indicated a significant increase in the positive expression of IL-8, IL-6, MMP-3, and MMP-13 in the asymmetric group, suggesting a synergistic effect of aging and asymmetric force in amplifying inflammatory responses and matrix degradation. Western blot analysis showed that the expression of senescence-associated proteins (p53, p21, and p16) and inflammation-related proteins (p-p65, NLRP3) was significantly upregulated in the asymmetric group, indicating that asymmetric force accelerated the senescence of NPCs and activated inflammatory pathways. TEM revealed that asymmetric force markedly aggravated mitochondrial swelling and structural damage in the L4/5 intervertebral disc, with the most severe mitochondrial injury observed in the 48-week asymmetric group. Western blot further demonstrated that the expression of mitochondrial fusion proteins (Mfn2, OPA1) was significantly decreased, while mitochondrial fission proteins (Drp1, Fis1) were significantly increased in the asymmetric group, indic","PeriodicalId":21962,"journal":{"name":"Stem Cells International","volume":"2026 ","pages":"1581661"},"PeriodicalIF":3.3,"publicationDate":"2026-04-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13053654/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147639900","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"MSC Exosomes and Rutin-Chitosan-Pectin Nanoparticles Synergize to Ameliorate Adjuvant Arthritis via Th1/Th2 Modulation, MMP Suppression, Nrf2 Upregulation, and Antioxidant Boost.","authors":"Karim M Moftah, Walaa G Hozayen, Nabil A Hasona, Hessah M Al-Muzafar, Kamal A Amin, Hussah A Alshwyeh, Khairy M A Zoheir, Osama M Ahmed","doi":"10.1155/sci/3586025","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1155/sci/3586025","url":null,"abstract":"&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Background: &lt;/strong&gt;Due to toxicity, high costs, and potential side effects of standard treatments of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) including nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), corticosteroids, and disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs), natural products and advanced drug delivery systems, such as nanoparticles and mesenchymal stem cell (MSC)-derived exosomes (EXO), have garnered interest due to their ability to target inflammation and oxidative damage, with enhanced precision and reduced side effects, offering a promising approach for RA management.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Methods: &lt;/strong&gt;EXO were isolated from the conditioned medium of bone marrow-derived MSCs (BM-MSCs). Rutin (RT)-loaded chitosan (Cs)/pectin nanoparticles were prepared using a modified ionic gelation technique to enhance stability and bioavailability. Sixty male Wistar rats were utilized in the in vivo experiment and randomly assigned to six groups, each comprising 10 animals. These groups were (1) normal control, (2) complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA)-induced arthritic control, (3) CFA-induced arthritis treated with free RT (20 mg/kg), (4) CFA-induced arthritis treated with EXO (100 µg protein per rat, intravenous injection, once weekly), (5) CFA-induced arthritis treated with RT-Cs-pectin nanocomposite (RT-CPN) (20 mg/kg), and (6) CFA-induced arthritis treated with a combination of RT-CPN and EXO. Treatments were administered for 28 days, after which the rats were euthanized for further analysis. For molecular evaluations, blood was collected for serum isolation, and the right ankle joint was carefully dissected.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Results: &lt;/strong&gt;Treatment with RT, EXO, RT-CPN, and especially, EXO + RT-CPN combination significantly reduced serum levels of anticitrullinated protein antibodies (ACPAs), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and the marker of oxidative stress malondialdehyde (MDA). These treatments also decreased inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) mRNA expression, a key regulator of oxidative and inflammatory processes. Conversely, antioxidant defenses improved, as indicated by increased serum glutathione (GSH), interleukin-10 (IL-10), and interleukin-13 (IL-13) levels, along with upregulation of antioxidant enzymes such glutathione peroxidase (GPx), glutathione S-transferase (GST), glutathione reductase (GR), and superoxide dismutase (SOD). Joint degradation was notably reduced by suppressing the protein levels of MMP-1, MMP-3, MMP-9, and MMP-13, while nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) expression, a critical regulator of cellular protection, was elevated. Along with improvements in functional and molecular markers, the right hind leg's swelling and redness decreased, and the histological alterations including pannus development, inflammatory cell infiltrations, synovial membrane hyperplasia, and degradation of articular cartilage were substantially suppressed after treatments.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Conclusions: &lt;/strong&gt;The ","PeriodicalId":21962,"journal":{"name":"Stem Cells International","volume":"2026 ","pages":"3586025"},"PeriodicalIF":3.3,"publicationDate":"2026-04-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13051802/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147634037","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Role of Stem Cells and Stem Cell Markers in Oral Potentially Malignant Disorders and Malignant Transformation: A Systematic Review.","authors":"Nadisha S Piyarathne, Gayani S Nawarathna, W J Wijesingha, Udari Abeyasinghe, P V Kalani Hettiarachchi","doi":"10.1155/sci/9371262","DOIUrl":"10.1155/sci/9371262","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Oral potentially malignant disorders (OPMDs) have varying risk of malignant transformation (MT), yet the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Recent evidence suggest emerging role of stem cells in carcinogenesis. This systematic review aimed to synthesizes current knowledge on the role of stem cells in OPMD and MT. Review protocol was developed in accordance with PRISMA 2020 guidelines and registered with PROSPERO. Literature searches identified 4882 records from PubMed, Scopus, Embase, and Web of Science databases; from these, <i>n</i> = 97 primary research studies were selected via two stage screening. Data extraction and narrative synthesis was conducted according to synthesis without meta-analysis (SWiM) guidelines. Methodological quality was assessed using Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) critical appraisal checklists. Studies included in this review were published between 2006-2025, where majority of the research were from India and China. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) was used to identify stem cell biomarkers in tissue samples, most studies demonstrated that higher expression of stem cell markers (CD44, ALDH1, HELLS, TARIF, SOX2, NANOG, and CD147) correlated with severity of epithelial dysplasia. Longitudinal data identified ALDH1 and Bmi-1 as promising prognostic biomarkers linked to MT. Evidence from cell culture and animal model experiments suggested potential therapeutic applications of stem cells and their exosomes in haltering the progression of OPMD. Notably, a clinical trial incorporated stem cell markers as surrogate end points for evaluating treatment options. While findings underscore the prognostic and therapeutic relevance of stem cells in OPMD, lack of prospective designs in biomarker validation and absence of clinical trial evidence on stem cell therapies limit clinical applicability.</p>","PeriodicalId":21962,"journal":{"name":"Stem Cells International","volume":"2026 ","pages":"9371262"},"PeriodicalIF":3.3,"publicationDate":"2026-03-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12951545/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147349195","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Decreased Corneal Endothelial Cell Apoptosis Due to U/S Power Injury With Limbal Mesenchymal Stem Cell Secretome Therapy.","authors":"Dicky Hermawan, I Ketut Sudiana, Fedik Abdul Rantam, Evelyn Komaratih","doi":"10.1155/sci/2390093","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1155/sci/2390093","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>To evaluate the effects of limbal mesenchymal stem cell secretome (LMSC-S) on corneal endothelial NF-κB, TNF-α, and Caspase-8 expression after U/S power injury of the phacoemulsification machine.</p><p><strong>Setting: </strong>Stem Cell Research and Development Center, Universitas Airlangga.</p><p><strong>Design: </strong>Experimental studies on laboratory animals.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>The normal group included eight eyes of four rabbits, and the other groups each included seven eyes of seven rabbits. The normal group consisted of eyes without exposure or treatment. Control group 1 (C1) served as the control for treatment group 1 (T1), where LMSC-S was administered simultaneously with the U/S power exposure. Control group 2 (C2) served as the control for treatment group 2 (T2), in which LMSC-S was administered 3 days after U/S power exposure. Corneal endothelial cell (CEC) damage was induced by exposure to ultrasound from a phacoemulsification machine. Rabbit LMSC-S cells were obtained from the Stem Cell Research and Development Center, Universitas Airlangga. Expression of NF-κB, TNF-α, and Caspase-8 were assessed by immunohistochemistry (IHC).</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>All studied cytokines increased after U/S power injury (NF-κB: <i>p</i> = 0.047 for N-C1; <i>p</i> < 0.001 for N-C2, TNF-α: <i>p</i> < 0.001 for N-C1 and N-C2, Caspase-8: <i>p</i> < 0.001 for N-C1 and N-C2). T2 group showed the least increase and was closer to normal (NF-κB: <i>p</i> = 0.002 for N-T1, <i>p</i> = 0.081 for N-T2; TNF-α: <i>p</i> = 0.005 for N-T1, <i>p</i> = 0.161 for N-T2; Caspase-8: <i>p</i> = 0.013 for N-T1, <i>p</i> = 0.739 for N-T2).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>LMSC-S therapy on the third day postexposure decreased corneal endothelial apoptotic cytokine expression.</p>","PeriodicalId":21962,"journal":{"name":"Stem Cells International","volume":"2026 ","pages":"2390093"},"PeriodicalIF":3.3,"publicationDate":"2026-03-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12953745/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147356543","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"BMSC-Exosomes Combined With TGF-β1 Enhance Meniscal Fibrochondrocyte Function: Implications for Cartilage Repair.","authors":"Puzhen Song, Hebin Ma, Hongguang Chen, Yuanbo Zhou, Yadong Zhang, Binbin Yang, Boyang Pei","doi":"10.1155/sci/5955887","DOIUrl":"10.1155/sci/5955887","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Meniscal healing is often limited because adult meniscal fibrochondrocytes (MFCs) possess inherently low proliferative and reparative capacities. Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell-derived exosomes (BMSC-Exos) have recently emerged as promising cell-free therapeutics with regenerative potential, whereas transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) is a well-established chondrogenic factor. In this study, we investigated the potential synergistic effects of BMSC-Exos and TGF-β1 on MFC proliferation, migration, and extracellular matrix synthesis in vitro.</p><p><strong>Objective: </strong>To explore the effects of BMSC-Exos combined with TGF-β1 on MFCs and to investigate new approaches for treating meniscus injuries.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>BMSC-Exos were extracted by differential centrifugation and identified by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), nanoparticle tracking analysis (NTA), and western blotting. The meniscus fibrochondrocytes were treated with BMSC-Exos, TGF-β1, and BMSC-Exos + TGF-β1 for 24 h. The distribution of fluorescently labeled BMSC-Exos in meniscus fibrochondrocytes was observed by fluorescence microscopy. The effects of BMSC-Exos, TGF-β1, and BMSC-Exos + TGF-β1 on the proliferation and migration of meniscus fibrochondrocytes were evaluated by CCK-8 assay, DNA quantification, cell migration assay, and cell scratch assay.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>(1) BMSC-Exos are crescent-shaped, with an average particle size of approximately 118 nm, and express the specific protein TSG101. (2) The results of immunofluorescence staining showed that BMSC-Exos were aggregated in the fibrocartilage cells of the meniscus. (3) Compared with the blank control group (CON group), the proliferation and migration abilities of the fibrocartilage cells of the meniscus in the three experimental groups were all enhanced, among which the BMSC-Exos + TGF-β1 group had the most significant effect. (4) The DNA content of the cells in the three experimental groups was all higher than that of the CON group, and the DNA content of the cells in the BMSC-Exos + TGF-β1 group was the highest (<i>p</i> < 0.001).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The combined application of BMSC-Exos and TGF-β1 can more effectively promote the proliferation and migration of meniscus fibrocartilage cells, and holds promise as a new approach for the treatment of meniscus injuries.</p>","PeriodicalId":21962,"journal":{"name":"Stem Cells International","volume":"2026 ","pages":"5955887"},"PeriodicalIF":3.3,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12950903/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147349187","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Analysis of Primary Cilium-Bearing Human Neuroprogenitors Using Flow Cytometry.","authors":"E De Gasperi, M De Vita, M Brusa, E De Gregorio, S Solito, A Azzalin, L Pollara, E M Valente, V Sottile","doi":"10.1155/sci/5010774","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1155/sci/5010774","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The primary cilium is a protruding organelle present on many cell types with important roles for cell signaling. Defects in primary cilium formation and function are linked to numerous pathological conditions including neurodevelopmental defects, aging and cancer. The evaluation of ciliated cells within a cell sample traditionally relies on the visual assessment of cilia in fluorescence/confocal microscopy, after immunolabeling for ciliary markers highlighting the organelle for cilium counting. This can be influenced by operator-dependent factors, notwithstanding advanced image analysis tools developed to facilitate this labor-intensive evaluation. To address these limitations, a flow cytometry approach was trialed for neuroprogenitor cells (NPCs) differentiated from human iPSCs and stained for the ciliary markers ARL13B and PERICENTRIN measured on a flow cytometer, which detected positively-labeled ciliated cells. Specific staining was confirmed by microscopy and imaging flow cytometry, demonstrating for the first time the feasibility of cilium detection with axoneme and basal body markers colocalized on a single spot on human neuroprogenitor cell surface using a scalable, objective, and quantitative modality. Flow cytometry was able to measure changes in cilium frequency in a comparative analysis of neuroprogenitors derived from ciliopathy patients and healthy controls, underlining the discriminating capacity of this streamlined approach for the study of ciliary defects in a scalable and operator-independent manner.</p>","PeriodicalId":21962,"journal":{"name":"Stem Cells International","volume":"2026 ","pages":"5010774"},"PeriodicalIF":3.3,"publicationDate":"2026-02-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12947113/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147327028","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Correction to \"Serum-Free Culture System for Spontaneous Human Mesenchymal Stem Cell Spheroid Formation\".","authors":"","doi":"10.1155/sci/9895609","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1155/sci/9895609","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1155/2019/6041816.].</p>","PeriodicalId":21962,"journal":{"name":"Stem Cells International","volume":"2026 ","pages":"9895609"},"PeriodicalIF":3.3,"publicationDate":"2026-02-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12927961/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147285049","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Mesenchymal Stem Cells Polarize Macrophages to an Anti-Inflammatory Phenotype to Ameliorate Diabetic Nephropathy.","authors":"Linxi Zhang, Songyan Yu, Yu Cheng, Xiafang Lin, Zhengyuan Gong, Jing Xue, Bing Li, Yaqi Yin, Junyan Zou, Rui Wei, Tianpei Hong, Yiming Mu","doi":"10.1155/sci/6684410","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1155/sci/6684410","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>In diabetic nephropathy (DN), classically activated macrophages (M1) are significantly increased, whereas alternatively activated macrophages (M2) are markedly decreased in the renal tissues. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have been shown to stimulate macrophages from M1 phenotype to M2 phenotype. Thus, we aimed to investigate whether the polarization of M1/M2 induced by MSCs was involved in DN. We injected human umbilical cord MSCs (UC-MSCs) into DN rats and found UC-MSC infusion reduced the infiltration of M1 macrophages and increased the infiltration of M2 macrophages in the glomerulus, thereby attenuating histopathological renal damage and improving renal inflammation and fibrosis in DN rats. Then, peritoneal macrophages were extracted and directed into M1 macrophages by lipopolysaccharides (LPS) in vitro. After coculturing UC-MSCs with M1 macrophages, we found that the M1 macrophage markers and related pro-inflammatory cytokines decreased. However, the expression of the M2 macrophage markers, as well as the anti-inflammatory cytokines, increased observably. Furthermore, UC-MSCs increased the expression of interleukin-4 receptor alpha chain (IL-4Rα) on macrophages by secreting interleukin-6 (IL-6); blocking IL-6 secretion inhibited the effect of UC-MSCs on M2 macrophage polarization. Then, we explored the mechanism by which M2 macrophages ameliorate DN in vitro and found that UC-MSC-induced M2 macrophages attenuated the secretion of the chemokine monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) in hyperglycemia-induced mesangial cells, which led to reduced macrophage recruitment and infiltration. Moreover, UC-MSC-induced M2 macrophages inhibited transforming growth factor β (TGF-β) in glomerular mesangial cells. Our study proposes and discusses a mechanism by which MSCs promote the polarization of macrophages from M1 into M2 in the kidney, thereby ameliorating DN.</p>","PeriodicalId":21962,"journal":{"name":"Stem Cells International","volume":"2026 ","pages":"6684410"},"PeriodicalIF":3.3,"publicationDate":"2026-02-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12916875/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147271995","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Correction to \"Exosomal MicroRNAs Derived from Human Amniotic Epithelial Cells Accelerate Wound Healing by Promoting the Proliferation and Migration of Fibroblasts\".","authors":"","doi":"10.1155/sci/9874279","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1155/sci/9874279","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1155/2018/5420463.].</p>","PeriodicalId":21962,"journal":{"name":"Stem Cells International","volume":"2026 ","pages":"9874279"},"PeriodicalIF":3.3,"publicationDate":"2026-02-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12917329/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147271993","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}