Encapsulation of Mesenchymal Stem Cells: Dissecting the Underlying Mechanism of Mesenchymal Stem Cell Transplantation Therapy

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are widely considered good candidates for cell transplantation therapy. Various central nervous system disorders have been suggested as suitable targets for MSC transplantation therapy. In this context, a great deal of basic and clinical research has been conducted to explore its clinical uses. Although depression is one of the most common diseases in the world, the response rate to the currently available treatment is insufficient and new treatments are much needed. Despite the fact that MSC transplantation therapy has the potential to elicit an antidepressant effect, few studies have been conducted on this topic to date and the underlying mechanism remains poorly understood. To address the development of a new treatment for depression, we evaluated the effect of MSCs using the encapsulation technique and Wistar-Kyoto rats. Encapsulation enables dissection of the complicated underlying mechanism of MSC transplantation therapy. Wistar-Kyoto rats that exhibit treatment-resistant depressive-like behaviors allow us to compare the effect of MSCs with that of conventional antidepressant treatment. In this commentary, we briefly summarize our recent published results and discuss future research prospects.