Effects of human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells on inflammatory factors and miR-181a in T lymphocytes from patients with systemic lupus erythematosus

• Published in: Lupus Vol. 29; no. 2; pp. 126 - 135
• Main Authors: Zheng, B, Zhang, P, Yuan, L, Chhetri, R K, Guo, Y, Deng, D
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London, England SAGE Publications 01.02.2020; Sage Publications Ltd
• Subjects: Cell culture; Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay; Gene expression; Immunomodulation; Inflammation; Interleukin 10; Interleukin 4; Interleukin 6; Lupus; Lymphocytes; Lymphocytes B; Lymphocytes T; Mesenchymal stem cells; NF-κB protein; Osteopontin; Polymerase chain reaction; Stem cells; Systemic lupus erythematosus; Tumor necrosis factor; Umbilical cord; γ-Interferon; systemic lupus erythematosus; miR-181a; T lymphocyte; Mesenchymal stem cells
• ISSN: 0961-2033; 1477-0962
• DOI: 10.1177/0961203319896417

Objectives The present study aimed to explore the effect of umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (UC-MSCs) on the modulation of T lymphocytes from system lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients and the possible mechanism. Methods A total of 24 hospitalized SLE patients and 28 healthy individuals were enrolled. T lymphocytes were sorted using Miltenyi magnetic beads. After the addition of recombinant human interleukin (IL)-2 and CD3CD28 T-cell activator, cells were loaded onto six-well plates pre-inoculated or not with UC-MSCs for 1 week of culture. The supernatants were collected for testing inflammatory factors by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Meanwhile, T lymphocytes were collected to assess the expression levels of genes, proteins in relation to SLE and miR-181a by polymerase chain reaction and Western blot. Results Compared with T lymphocytes cultured alone, interferon-γ, IL-4, IL-6 and IL-10 levels were significantly decreased in T lymphocytes from SLE patients co-cultured with UC-MSCs. In addition, the gene and protein expression levels of TNF alpha, osteopontin and nuclear factor-kappa B in T lymphocytes were significantly decreased, while miR-181a expression was markedly elevated (p < 0.05 or 0.008). Conclusion UC-MSCs have showed certain immunomodulatory and inhibitory effects in vitro on T lymphocytes from SLE patients, which could potentially be a beneficial treatment of the disease. UC-MSCs may up-regulate miR-181a and down-regulate inflammation-related gene expression.