• Human MSCs and their secretome significantly reduce bacterial load, mitigate tissue injury, and improve survival in rodent models of bacterial infection.
• Bone marrow-derived MSCs are the most frequently used and effective MSC source in preclinical studies.
• MSC-based therapies modulate and enhance the host immune response against bacterial pathogens, offering a promising alternative to conventional antibiotics.
• Despite encouraging preclinical results, clinical translation is limited by the lack of donor-related investigations and reliance on rodent models, highlighting the need for further research.