# Emerging Cell-Based Therapies for Systemic Sclerosis: From Stem Cells to CAR-T Cells

## TL;DR

This review explores new cell-based therapies for systemic sclerosis, a complex autoimmune disease, that could improve patient outcomes by restoring immune balance and tissue repair.

## Contribution

The paper provides a comprehensive overview of emerging cell-based therapies, including CAR-T cells, for treating systemic sclerosis.

## Key findings

- Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation and mesenchymal stem cell therapy show promise in restoring immune tolerance.
- Regulatory T cell transfer and CAR-T cell therapy are emerging as transformative approaches for systemic sclerosis.
- These therapies may improve survival and quality of life for patients with limited current treatment options.

## Abstract

Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a disease in which malfunctioning immune cells lead to the formation of autoantibodies that damage blood vessels and body tissues. Fibrosis then develops in the affected organs. Its complex pathogenesis involves multiple immune and stromal cell types, soluble mediators, and dysregulated tissue repair, resulting in heterogeneous clinical manifestations and poor prognosis. Current disease-modifying therapies provide only modest benefits, often slowing but rarely reversing disease progression, and are associated with considerable adverse effects. These limitations have spurred the development of cell-based therapeutic strategies aimed at restoring immune tolerance and promoting tissue repair. In this review, we summarize recent advances in hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, mesenchymal stem cell therapy, and adoptive regulatory T cell transfer and highlight the emerging role of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cell therapy as a transformative approach for SSc. Collectively, these evolving strategies hold the potential to improve survival, achieve durable remissions, and significantly enhance quality of life for patients with SSc.