Among the various biological properties presented by Mesenchymal Stem Cells (MSCs), their ability to control the immune response and fight pathogen infection through the production of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) have been the subject of intense research in recent years. AMPs secreted by MSCs exhibit activity against a wide range of microorganisms, including bacteria, fungi, yeasts, and viruses. The main AMPs produced by these cells are hepcidin, cathelicidin LL-37, and β-defensin-2. In addition to acting against pathogens, those AMPs have also been shown to interact with MSCs to modulate MSC proliferation, migration, and regeneration, indicating that such peptides exert a more diverse biological effect than initially thought. In the present review, we discuss the production of AMPs by MSCs, revise the multiple functions of these peptides, including their influence over MSCs, and present an overview of clinical situations in which the antimicrobial properties of MSCs may be explored for therapy. Finally, we discuss possibilities of combining MSCs and AMPs to generate improved therapeutic strategies.

在间充质干细胞 (MSCs) 所呈现的各种生物学特性中，它们通过产生抗菌肽 (AMPs) 来控制免疫反应和对抗病原体感染的能力已成为近年来深入研究的主题。MSCs 分泌的 AMP 表现出对多种微生物的活性，包括细菌、真菌、酵母菌和病毒。这些细胞产生的主要 AMP 是 hepcidin、cathelicidin LL-37 和 β-defensin-2。除了对病原体起作用外，这些 AMP 还显示出与 MSC 相互作用以调节 MSC 增殖、迁移和再生，这表明这些肽发挥比最初认为的更多样化的生物学效应。在本综述中，我们讨论了 MSC 产生 AMP，修改了这些肽的多种功能，包括它们对 MSCs 的影响，并概述了可以探索 MSCs 的抗菌特性用于治疗的临床情况。最后，我们讨论了结合 MSCs 和 AMPs 以产生改进的治疗策略的可能性。