Title:Mesenchymal Stem Cells and their Exosomes: Promising Therapeutics for Chronic Pain
Volume: 14
Issue: 8
Author(s): Jinxuan Ren, Na Liu, Na Sun, Kehan Zhang and Lina Yu*
Affiliation:
- Department of Anesthesiology, Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou,China
Keywords:
Chronic pain, mesenchymal stem cells, exosomes, analgesia, cytokines, cell-free.
Abstract: Chronic pain is a common condition that seriously affects the quality of human life with
variable etiology and complicated symptoms; people who suffer from chronic pain may experience
anxiety, depression, insomnia, and other harmful emotions. Currently, chronic pain treatments are nonsteroidal
anti-inflammatory drugs and opioids; these drugs are demonstrated to be insufficient and
cause severe side effects. Therefore, research into new therapeutic strategies for chronic pain is a top
priority. In recent years, stem cell transplantation has been demonstrated to be a potent alternative for
the treatment of chronic pain. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), a type of pluripotent stem cell, exhibit
multi-directional differentiation, promotion of stem cell implantation, and immune regulation; they
have also been shown to exert analgesic effects in several chronic pain models. Exosomes produced by
MSCs have been demonstrated to relieve painful symptoms with fewer side effects. In this review, we
summarize the therapeutic use of MSCs in various chronic pain studies. We also discuss ways to enhance
the treatment effect of MSCs. We predict in the future, cell-free therapies for chronic pain will
develop from exosomes secreted by MSCs.