The antimicrobial potential of the secretome from Wharton’s jelly mesenchymal stem cells in the context of regenerative medicine: an in vitro study

IntroductionThe secretome derived from Mesenchymal Stem Cells (MSCs) have received significant attention as a promising tool in regenerative medicine. This “cell-free” strategy offers a promising alternative to stem cell therapies, potentially avoiding issues like immunogenicity and tumorigenicity. Recently, we demonstrated that MSC-conditioned media (MSC-CM) obtained from MSCs isolated from Wharton’s jelly (WJ) exerts notable bioactive effects associated with wound healing and tissue repair. Growing evidence suggests that WJ-MSC-CM have potential antiseptic effects through their ability to produce antimicrobial factors and modulate immune responses. In this context, further characterization of WJ-MSC-CM is essential to clarify its role in modulating oxidative stress and host defense responses, thereby supporting its potential application in regenerative therapies.MethodsWe analyzed the effects of WJ-MSC-CM on reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation and antioxidant system activity in dermal fibroblasts subjected to hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) exposure. Cellular metabolism assays were used to analyze antioxidant responses. In addition, we assessed the antibacterial potential against different bacterial strains and assessed the content of antimicrobial peptides in WJ-MSC-CM by ELISA.ResultsWJ-MSC-CM-treated fibroblasts exhibited elevated ROS levels following H2O2 exposure yet displayed an upregulation of antioxidant systems in fibroblast homogenate samples. Moreover, WJ-MSC-CM protected against H2O2-induced cytotoxicity. WJ-MSC-CM contained significant levels of antimicrobial peptides and demonstrated inhibitory activity against a Gram-positive bacterium such as Staphylococcus aureus.ConclusionThese findings emphasize the antiseptic potential of WJ-MSC-CM and support its relevance as a promising cell-free strategy in regenerative medicine.