Journal of Endocrinology and Metabolism, ISSN 1923-2861 print, 1923-287X online, Open Access
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Review

Volume 15, Number 4, October 2025, pages 119-129

Mesenchymal Stem Cell in Thyroid Disorders: Hype or Hope?

Figure

Figure 1.
Figure 1. The role and potential of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) in thyroid disease therapy. MSCs have been shown to migrate to damaged thyroid tissue, modulate immune responses, and differentiate into thyroid follicular cells, offering potential therapeutic avenues for conditions such as hypothyroidism and autoimmune thyroiditis. In thyroid cancer, MSCs reveal a complex role, with studies suggesting both tumor-promoting activities and therapeutic potential, particularly through gene delivery systems. TGF-β1: tumor growth factor-β1; PGE2: prostaglandin E2; Th: T-helper; IL: interleukin; EVs: extracellular vesicles; ROS: reactive oxygen species; TSH: thyroid-stimulating hormone; TTF: thyroid transcription factor; CCL5: C-C motif chemokine ligand 5; CCR5: C-C motif chemokine receptor 5; OF: orbital fibroblast.

Table

Table 1. Summary of Preclinical Studies on Stem Cell Therapy for Thyroid Disorders
 
Stem cell typeDiseaseKey findingsReference
MSCs: mesenchymal stem cells; iPSC: induced pluripotent stem cell; TSH: thyroid-stimulating hormone; Th17: T-helper 17; Treg: regulatory T cell; IL: interleukin; IFN: interferon.
Bone marrow MSCs (BM-MSCs)Hypothyroidism (rat)Differentiated into thyrocyte-like cells via TSH; restored serum T3/T4 levels[10]
Human umbilical cord MSCs (hUC-MSCs)Hashimoto's thyroiditis (rat)Reduced anti-Tg antibodies; restored Th17/Treg balance; decreased thyroid inflammation[21]
iPSC-derived thyrocytesCongenital hypothyroidism (mouse)Generated functional thyroid follicular organoids; rescued hypothyroidism[44]
Embryonic stem cells (ESCs)Thyroid agenesis (mouse)Generated thyroid follicles in vitro; integrated into host tissue post-transplant[45]
Dental pulp MSCs (DP-MSCs)Autoimmune thyroiditis (rat)Reduced lymphocytic infiltration; downregulated IL-17/IFN-γ; upregulated IL-10[46]
Placental MSCs (PMSCs)Thyroid nodules (human cell line)Inhibited proliferation of thyroid nodule-derived cells via Wnt/β-catenin pathway suppression[42]
Neural crest stem cells (NCSCs)Thyroid development (zebrafish)Differentiated into parafollicular C-cells; restored calcitonin secretion[43]
Induced thyrocytes (iPSC-derived)Radiation-induced hypothyroidism (mouse)Repopulated damaged thyroid tissue; normalized TSH levels[47]