Therapeutic and Clinical Potential of Adipose-Derived Stem Cell Secretome for Skin Regeneration

Abstract

Adipose-derived stem cells (AT-MSCs) exhibit great potential for application in stem cell therapy, primarily due to their unique pro-regenerative capabilities, which include supporting skin regeneration. AT-MSCs secrete a variety of biomolecules with immunomodulatory, re-epithelializing, antifibrotic, antiapoptotic, proangiogenic, and neurotrophic activity as well as the ability to promote proliferation and migration of skin cells. Recently, therapy using AT-MSC secretome alone has garnered increasing attention due to its potentially safer and more effective application ability than the use of whole AT-MSCs. This review provides a comprehensive summary of the current state of knowledge regarding the potential use of AT-MSC secretome as a promising cell-free therapeutic strategy for wound healing, alopecia, skin rejuvenation, and skin inflammatory diseases. We critically analyze and discuss findings from in vitro, in vivo, and clinical studies. Moreover, we briefly discuss possible approaches to enhance the secretion of AT-MSC biomolecules, such as AT-MSC preconditioning with low-frequency electromagnetic fields and hypoxia. In conclusion, the evidence presented in this review paper underscores that the AT-MSC secretome alone can be a highly effective approach as a stem cell-free therapy for skin repair, with significant translational potential.