The Secretome of Mesenchymal Stem Cells: A Promising Cell-Free Option for Heart Regeneration

One of the most common causes of global death is cardiovascular disease (CVD). Using mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) therapy for treating CVDs is revolutionizing regenerative medicine. Some challenges that have limited MSC therapy’s practical application include cell harvesting difficulty, ectopic transplantation, spontaneous differentiation to cartilage and bone, and possible immune responses following transplantation. MSCs release extracellular vesicles and biologically active molecules such as growth factors, chemokines, and cytokines, collectively called the secretome. Recent studies have shown that secretome administration could replace MSC transplantation. The secretome of MSCs plays a crucial role in controlling inflammatory reactions, enhancing tissue reperfusion by stimulating angiogenesis and vasculogenesis, preventing apoptosis and fibrosis development, and fostering the proliferation and differentiation of cardiac stem cells. This review discusses the current knowledge of MSC secretome application in cardiac regenerative medicine. It introduces possible approaches to improve cardiac recovery outcomes by utilizing the secretome in the clinic.