SYSTEMATIC REVIEW article
Front. Bioeng. Biotechnol.
Sec. Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine
Volume 13 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fbioe.2025.1668681
Properties of MSC populations enriched in CD146-expressing MSCs – a systematic review and meta-analysis of in vitro studies
Provisionally accepted
- University Clinic of Dentistry, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
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Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) are promising therapeutic candidates in regenerative medicine and the treatment of inflammatory diseases, yet their heterogeneity limits their therapeutic effectiveness. Clinical outcomes may be enhanced by isolating MSC subpopulations based on surface markers, including CD146. Many in vitro studies have investigated various cellular properties of MSC subpopulations that are enriched in CD146-expressing cells (CD146Enr.) compared to those that are depleted in CD146-expressing cells (CD146Depl.) and/or heterogeneous populations. Hence, this review aimed to systematically explore the basic cellular characteristics of MSC populations with different levels of CD146-expressing cells. Two electronic databases were searched until 9 September 2024. Studies were screened using PICO-based eligibility criteria whilst following PRISMA guidelines. Risk of bias was assessed by evaluating reporting and methodological criteria, modified from Samuel et al. A Meta-analysis was performed on four studies on population doubling time (PDT) and five studies on colony-forming (CF) potential comparing CD146Enr. with CD146Depl. populations. A total of 29 in vitro studies were covered by this systematic review. PDT was slightly higher in CD146Enr. MSCs compared to CD146Depl. MSCs, but without statistical significance (2.52 hours, 95% CI -7.69, 12.74, p = 0.63, n = 19 donors). Contrary, CD146Enr. populations displayed significantly higher CF potential (1.29, 95% CI 0.41, 2.16, p = 0.004, n = 25 donors). All four studies assessing migration reported enhanced migratory potential in CD146Enr. populations. Results from tri-lineage differentiation, proliferation, and immunomodulation were highly variable across studies. Overall, this systematic review indicates that CD146Enr. MSCs demonstrate only partially enhanced cellular characteristics, depending on the investigated study. The substantial heterogeneity across included studies limits firm conclusions. To enable robust comparisons and to fully evaluate the clinical potential of CD146Enr.MSCs, standardized experimental protocols, and outcome measures are needed.
Keywords: CD146, Mesenchymal Stromal Cells, differentiation, proliferation, CFU, Immunomodulation, Migration, Meta-analysis
Received: 18 Jul 2025; Accepted: 05 Sep 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Behm, Schwarz, Miłek, Krämmer and Andrukhov. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: Oleh Andrukhov, University Clinic of Dentistry, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
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