Immunogenicity and Tumorigenicity of Pluripotent Stem Cells and their Derivatives: Genetic and Epigenetic Perspectives

One aim of stem cell-based therapy is to utilize pluripotent stem cells (PSCs) as a supplementary source of cells to repair or replace tissues or organs that have ceased to function due to severe tissue damage. However, PSC-based therapy requires extensive research to ascertain if PSC derivatives are functional without the risk of tumorigenicity, and also do not engender severe immune rejection that threatens graft survival and function. Recently, the suitability of induced pluripotent stem cells applied for patient-tailored cell therapy has been questioned since the discovery of several genetic and epigenetic aberrations during the reprogramming process. Hence, it is crucial to understand the effect of these abnormalities on the immunogenicity and survival of PSC grafts. As induced PSC-based therapy represents a hallmark for the potential solution to prevent and arrest immune rejection, this review also summarizes several up-to-date key findings in the field.