Cell-Based Therapeutic Strategies for Autoimmune Diseases

Francisco B Quero,1 Tays Troncoso-Bravo,1 Mónica A Farías,1 Alexis M Kalergis1,2 1Millennium Institute on Immunology and Immunotherapy, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile; 2Departamento de Endocrinología, Facultad de Medicina, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, ChileCorrespondence: Alexis M Kalergis, Millennium Institute on Immunology and Immunotherapy, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Av. Portugal 49, Santiago, E-8330025, Chile, Tel +56-2-23542846, Email [email protected]: Currently, the management of autoimmune disorders still being a challenge in terms of safety, efficiency, and specificity. Cell-based therapeutic strategies have emerged as a novel approach for autoimmune disease treatment, employing different cell therapy platforms, including tolerogenic dendritic cells, regulatory T cells, conventional and regulatory chimeric antigen receptor-T cells, mesenchymal and hematopoietic stem cells, each with their biological features. Here, we discuss the different cell therapy platforms, their immunological mechanisms of action, their therapeutic potential and benefits in autoimmune diseases, and challenges related to their production, scaling up, risks, and patient safety.Keywords: autoimmunity, cell therapy, CAR T cell, tolerogenic dendritic cell, regulatory T cell, stem cells