Mechanisms of Action of Mesenchymal Stem Cells in Metabolic-Associated Fatty Liver Disease

Table 1

Animal experiments of MSC transplantation in therapy of MAFLD.

MSC source	Treatment/model	Animal	Mechanisms	Main results	Ref.
Human UC-MSCs	Leptin receptor-deficient/T2DM MAFLD	Mice	Upregulation of the HNF4α-CES2 signaling pathway and regulate the expression of genes related to lipid metabolism	Alleviate hepatic steatosis and improve liver injury	[15]
Mice ADSCs	HFD/NASH	Mice	Inhibit the proliferation of HSCs and decrease the level of IL-17 and the expressions of TGF-β1, TGF-β2, and α-SMA	Inhibit liver fibrosis	[16]
Mice BM-MSCs	MCD/NASH	Mice	Inhibit CD4+IFN-γ+ and CD4+IL6+ T cell proliferation and activation	Inhibit liver fibrosis and liver inflammation	[17]
Mice BM-MSCs	HFD/MAFLD	Mice	Inhibit CD4+ T cell proliferation	Inhibit liver fibrosis and liver inflammation	[18]
Mice BM-MSCs	HFD/NASH	Mice	Inhibit the expressions of proinflammatory cytokines and fibrosis-associated genes (IL-1β, TNF-α, and TGF-β1)	Inhibit liver fibrosis	[19]
Human SHED-MSCs	CCL4/NASH	Mice	Protect intestinal barrier function and inhibit TLR4 gene level through the gut-liver axis	Inhibit liver fibrosis and liver inflammation	[20]
Rat BM-MSCs	HFD/MAFLD	Rats	Upregulate SERCA2 and improve endoplasmic reticulum stress and intracellular calcium homeostasis	Decrease hepatocyte lipotoxicity and metabolic disorder	[21]
Mice BM-MSCs	HFD/T2DM MAFLD	Mice	Improve mitochondrial dysfunction and decrease the level of reactive oxygen species	Restore liver function and decrease hepatic steatosis	[22]
Human UC-MSCs	HFD/MAFLD	Mice	Decrease oxidative stress and inhibit the level of TNF-α	Decrease hepatic steatosis and hepatic inflammation	[23]
Mice ADSCs	HFD/NASH	Mice	Upregulation of the Notch signaling pathway and the expression of transcription factor HES1	Activate hepatocyte proliferation and inhibit apoptosis	[24]
Human UC-MSCs	HFD/T2DM MAFLD	Rats	Downregulation of the TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathway and decrease the levels of ALT, AST, IL-6, and TNF-α	Improve glucose and lipid metabolism, insulin resistance, and liver injury	[25]
Human UC-MSCs	HFD/T2DM MAFLD	Mice	Upregulation of the SIRT1 signaling pathway and decrease the levels of COX-2, ICAM-1, CSF-1, and TGF-β	Improve liver antioxidant capacity, improve mitochondrial function, and reduce apoptosis	[26]