Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS) and toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN) are rare severe cutaneous
adverse reactions (SCARs) to drugs.
To date, no curative drug has demonstrated with a good level of evidence its ability to
promote SJS and TEN healing and could contribute to earlier reepithelialisation. Mesenchymal
stroma cells (MSCs) therapy represents a new therapeutic approach. eg, in patients with
cardiovascular diseases, neurological diseases, renal transplantation, lung diseases as acute
respiratory distress syndrome.
Recently, MSCs have been proposed in both burn wound healing with a significantly decrease of
the unhealed burn area and in cutaneous radiation.
Moreover, MSCs have immunomodulation properties potentially effective in refractory acute and
chronic graft versus host disease (GVHD) by improving thymic function and induction of Tregs.
Indeed, MSCs are able to migrate to inflamed tissues after stimulation by pro-inflammatory
cytokines and to modulate the local inflammatory reactions. MSCs have also demonstrated their
ability to promote tissue remodelling, angiogenesis and immunomodulation through either
differentiation or secretion of several growth factors such as VEGF, basic FGF and various
cytokines.
Therefore, combining their immunomodulation effect and secretion of soluble factors involved
in wound repair, MSCs might be valuable as a cell therapy strategy for promoting cutaneous
healing in SJS-TEN syndrome and subsequently decrease the morbi-mortality.