Scientific, 24 February 2026
Objectives
Oral mucositis (OM) and skin injury induced by chemotherapy or radiotherapy are common complications in cancer treatment, causing severe pain, impaired oral intake, and potential interruption of therapeutic regimens. Current management strategies are largely supportive and lack effective regenerative approaches.
This study aimed to evaluate the therapeutic potential of a topical gel containing conditioned medium (CM) derived from human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (hUC-MSCs) in preventing and mitigating chemotherapy- and radiotherapy-induced tissue injury, as well as to elucidate the biological mechanisms involved in tissue repair.
Methods
– Experimental model: BALB/c mice were subjected to chemotherapy and irradiation to establish models mimicking oral mucositis and radiation-induced skin injury associated with cancer therapy.
– Intervention: A topical gel containing hUC-MSC secretome (Wound Healing Gel – WHG) was applied locally at different concentrations (10% and 15%), twice daily throughout the observation period.
– Evaluation: Therapeutic efficacy was assessed through clinical observation, wound size measurement, histological analysis, cytokine profiling, and biological toxicity assays.
Key Results
– Promotion of tissue healing: The MSC-CM gel significantly reduced mucosal lesion size and accelerated epithelial regeneration. The 15% treatment group demonstrated optimal efficacy, with higher healing rates and marked improvement in tissue architecture.
– Improvement of radiation-induced injury: Treatment with MSC-CM gel reduced inflammation, erythema, and exudation while promoting earlier wound closure compared with the control group.
– Immune modulation: The treatment increased cytokines associated with tissue repair, including IL-20 and IL-17A/F, contributing to restoration of epithelial barrier integrity without inducing excessive systemic inflammation.
– Multifactorial regenerative activity: The hUC-MSC secretome contained key growth factors such as HGF, G-CSF, VEGF, and bFGF, supporting epithelial cell proliferation, angiogenesis, and extracellular matrix remodeling.
– High biological safety: Toxicity assessments demonstrated no cytotoxicity, no genotoxic effects, and no organ abnormalities during long-term observation.
Conclusion and Clinical Significance
This study provides preclinical evidence that secretome derived from human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells can function as a cell-free regenerative therapy. Through immune modulation and stimulation of epithelial regeneration, MSC-CM gel creates a favorable microenvironment for the recovery of tissues damaged by chemotherapy and radiotherapy.
These findings introduce a novel approach in regenerative medicine with promising clinical potential to reduce treatment-related complications and improve the quality of life of cancer patients.
References
Mathen, C., Dsouza, W., Sharma, D., Pradhan, T. N., Kesarwani, A., Gujar, D., … & Kode, J. (2026). Preclinical efficacy and safety evaluation of a topical mesenchymal stem cell derived conditioned media gel for oral mucositis management. Scientific Reports.
Nguồn: Scientific
Link: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-40193-3
