Efficacy of mesenchymal stem cell transplantation therapy to mitigate psoriasis: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory skin disease characterized by red lesions and skin patches with silvery scales. Overall, 2- 3 % of the worldwide population is affected by psoriasis. Recent treatment strategies for psoriasis involve Mesenchymal stromal/stem cell (MSC) transplantation instead of conventional treatment with monoclonal antibodies and small molecule drugs. However, studies systematically determining the efficacy of MSC therapy to treat psoriasis are lacking. Three electronic databases, including Cochrane, PubMed, and Web of Science Library, were searched for related studies from 2013 to 2023 using a widespread list of key terms. Among the collected records, duplicates and non-relevant articles were removed by screening the title, abstract, and full text based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Data were extracted from the eligible full-text articles to perform the meta-analysis, determining MSC therapy's efficacy in treating psoriasis. In the screening process, five clinical and sixteen preclinical studies, including 1 study with both preclinical and clinical data, showing the efficacy of MSC transplantation therapy to mitigate psoriasis were eligible for the systematic review. The meta- analysis was based on the data extracted from 10 eligible preclinical studies involving 343 animals. Pooled results demonstrated that the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) score and the epidermal thickness of the psoriatic plaques in the animals post-MSC transplantation were significantly reduced. Our meta-analysis showed the efficacy of MSC transplantation therapies in mitigating psoriasis in preclinical animal models. Thus, further clinical research is warranted to translate these findings from bench to bedside.