Author(s)

Mian Wu ¹, Shaohua Hu ^1,2

Affiliation(s)

¹ School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
² Department of Psychiatry, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China; The Key Laboratory of Mental Disorder's Management in Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China

Corresponding Author

Shaohua Hu

ABSTRACT

Major depressive disorder (MDD) has emerged as an escalating global health challenge in recent years, underscoring the urgent need for effective intervention strategies. Regenerative therapy employing stem cells has garnered significant attention as a potential therapeutic avenue for depression. Extensive research has highlighted the promising roles of various stem cell types, including mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), and circulating stem cells (CSCs), in offering innovative approaches to address depression pathogenesis and facilitate disease modeling. Of particular interest, MSCs have emerged as a frontrunner in depression therapy due to several notable advantages over other stem cell types. Notably, MSCs are readily accessible, ethically unproblematic, and possess low immunogenicity risk, rendering them highly attractive to researchers. Accumulating evidence suggests that MSCs possess the capacity to home in on damaged brain regions, stimulate endogenous neurogenesis and neuroprotection, and modulate immune and inflammatory responses, thus positioning them as a promising candidate for cell-based depression therapy. This review primarily focuses on elucidating the current advancements and potential applications of MSCs in depression treatment. Additionally, we discuss prevailing obstacles and challenges associated with MSC therapy, aiming to provide a comprehensive overview of the landscape of MSC-based interventions for depression.

KEYWORDS

Major Depressive Disorder, Stem cells, Mesenchymal Stem Cells

CITE THIS PAPER

Mian Wu, Shaohua Hu, Therapeutic Potential of Mesenchymal Stem Cells on Major Depressive Disorder. MEDS Basic Medicine (2024) Vol. 2: 121-130. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.23977/medbm.2024.020116.

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