A New Mesenchymal Stem Cell (MSC) Paradigm: Polarization into a Pro-Inflammatory MSC1 or an Immunosuppressive MSC2 Phenotype

Background

Our laboratory and others reported that the stimulation of specific Toll-like receptors (TLRs) affects the immune modulating responses of human multipotent mesenchymal stromal cells (hMSCs). Toll-like receptors recognize “danger” signals, and their activation leads to profound cellular and systemic responses that mobilize innate and adaptive host immune cells. The danger signals that trigger TLRs are released following most tissue pathologies. Since danger signals recruit immune cells to sites of injury, we reasoned that hMSCs might be recruited in a similar way. Indeed, we found that hMSCs express several TLRs (e.g., TLR3 and TLR4), and that their migration, invasion, and secretion of immune modulating factors is drastically affected by specific TLR-agonist engagement. In particular, we noted diverse consequences on the hMSCs following stimulation of TLR3 when compared to TLR4 by our low-level, short-term TLR-priming protocol.

Principal Findings

Here we extend our studies on the effect on immune modulation by specific TLR-priming of hMSCs, and based on our findings, propose a new paradigm for hMSCs that takes its cue from the monocyte literature. Specifically, that hMSCs can be polarized by downstream TLR signaling into two homogenously acting phenotypes we classify here as MSC1 and MSC2. This concept came from our observations that TLR4-primed hMSCs, or MSC1, mostly elaborate pro-inflammatory mediators, while TLR3-primed hMSCs, or MSC2, express mostly immunosuppressive ones. Additionally, allogeneic co-cultures of TLR-primed MSCs with peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) predictably lead to suppressed T-lymphocyte activation following MSC2 co-culture, and permissive T-lymphocyte activation in co-culture with MSC1.

Significance

Our study provides an explanation to some of the conflicting reports on the net effect of TLR stimulation and its downstream consequences on the immune modulating properties of stem cells. We further suggest that MSC polarization provides a convenient way to render these heterogeneous preparations of cells more uniform while introducing a new facet to study, as well as provides an important aspect to consider for the improvement of current stem cell-based therapies.     

骨髓间充质干细胞在移植免疫方面的研究进展

骨髓间充质干细胞(Mesenchymal stem ells,MSCs)是存在于骨髓中一类低免疫原性的非造血成体干细胞,体外研究表明MSCs能够通过抑制混合淋巴细胞反应抑制抗原呈递细胞分化成熟及功能发挥、抑制CTL形成、抑制NK细胞活性、增加调节性T细胞比例等途径发挥免疫调节作用。体内实验证明,MSC输注能够延长狒狒异体皮肤移植的存活时间,而在小鼠心脏移植的模型中,体外诱导免疫耐受的MSCs在活体内反而加速了小鼠的排斥反应,临床上输注MSCs可缓解移植物抗宿主病(GVHD)。本文对MSCs的免疫学特性及免疫调控功能的研究进展作一综述。     

间充质干细胞表达趋化因子及受体的相关生物学功能

间充质干细胞(mesenchymal stem cells,MSCs)是一群存在于骨髓间质和其他组织间质的干细胞,表达CD34和CD133.近来研究发现,存在于骨髓的间充质干细胞除了能支持造血,向骨细胞、软骨细胞和脂肪细胞进行多向分化外,其分泌的趋化因子及其相关受体在MSCs的信号转导、维持内环境的稳定、损伤修复、免疫调节、支持造血等功能中也发挥了关键性的作用.     

Mesenchymal Stem Cell 1 (MSC1)-Based Therapy Attenuates Tumor Growth Whereas MSC2-Treatment Promotes Tumor Growth and Metastasis

Background

Currently, there are many promising clinical trials using mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) in cell-based therapies of numerous diseases. Increasingly, however, there is a concern over the use of MSCs because they home to tumors and can support tumor growth and metastasis. For instance, we established that MSCs in the ovarian tumor microenvironment promoted tumor growth and favored angiogenesis. In parallel studies, we also developed a new approach to induce the conventional mixed pool of MSCs into two uniform but distinct phenotypes we termed MSC1 and MSC2.

Methodology/Principal Findings

Here we tested the in vitro and in vivo stability of MSC1 and MSC2 phenotypes as well as their effects on tumor growth and spread. In vitro co-culture of MSC1 with various cancer cells diminished growth in colony forming units and tumor spheroid assays, while conventional MSCs or MSC2 co-culture had the opposite effect in these assays. Co-culture of MSC1 and cancer cells also distinctly affected their migration and invasion potential when compared to MSCs or MSC2 treated samples. The expression of bioactive molecules also differed dramatically among these samples. MSC1-based treatment of established tumors in an immune competent model attenuated tumor growth and metastasis in contrast to MSCs- and MSC2-treated animals in which tumor growth and spread was increased. Also, in contrast to these groups, MSC1-therapy led to less ascites accumulation, increased CD45+leukocytes, decreased collagen deposition, and mast cell degranulation.

Conclusion/Significance

These observations indicate that the MSC1 and MSC2 phenotypes may be convenient tools for the discovery of critical components of the tumor stroma. The continued investigation of these cells may help ensure that cell based-therapy is used safely and effectively in human disease.     

Assessment of the Immunomodulatory Properties of Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells (MSCs)

The immunomodulatory properties of multilineage human mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) appear to be highly relevant for clinical use towards a wide-range of immune-related diseases. Mechanisms involved are increasingly being elucidated and in this article, we describe the basic experiment to assess MSC immunomodulation by assaying for suppression of effector leukocyte proliferation. Representing activation, leukocyte proliferation can be assessed by a number of techniques, and we describe in this protocol the use of the fluorescent cellular dye carboxyfluorescein succinimidyl ester (CFSE) to label leukocytes with subsequent flow cytometric analyses. This technique can not only assess proliferation without radioactivity, but also the number of cell divisions that have occurred as well as allowing for identification of the specific population of proliferating cells and intracellular cytokine/factor expression. Moreover, the assay can be tailored to evaluate specific populations of effector leukocytes by magnetic bead surface marker selection of single peripheral blood mononuclear cell populations prior to co-culture with MSCs. The flexibility of this co-culture assay is useful for investigating cellular interactions between MSCs and leukocytes.     

Strategies to Rescue Mesenchymal Stem Cells (MSCs) and Dental Pulp Stem Cells (DPSCs) from NK Cell Mediated Cytotoxicity

Background

The aim of this paper is to study the function of allogeneic and autologous NK cells against Dental Pulp Stem Cells (DPSCs) and Mesenchymal Stem Cells (MSCs) and to determine the function of NK cells in a three way interaction with monocytes and stem cells.

Methodology/Principal Findings

We demonstrate here that freshly isolated untreated or IL-2 treated NK cells are potent inducers of cell death in DPSCs and MSCs, and that anti-CD16 antibody which induces functional split anergy and apoptosis in NK cells inhibits NK cell mediated lysis of DPSCs and MSCs. Monocytes co-cultured with either DPSCs or MSCs decrease lysis of stem cells by untreated or IL-2 treated NK cells. Monocytes also prevent NK cell apoptosis thereby raising the overall survival and function of NK cells, DPSCs or MSCs. Both total population of monocytes and those depleted of CD16⁺ subsets were able to prevent NK cell mediated lysis of MSCs and DPSCs, and to trigger an increased secretion of IFN-γ by IL-2 treated NK cells. Protection of stem cells from NK cell mediated lysis was also seen when monocytes were sorted out from stem cells before they were added to NK cells. However, this effect was not specific to monocytes since the addition of T and B cells to stem cells also protected stem cells from NK cell mediated lysis. NK cells were found to lyse monocytes, as well as T and B cells.

Conclusion/Significance

By increasing the release of IFN-γ and decreasing the cytotoxic function of NK cells monocytes are able to shield stem cells from killing by the NK cells, resulting in an increased protection and differentiation of stem cells. More importantly studies reported in this paper indicate that anti-CD16 antibody can be used to prevent NK cell induced rejection of stem cells.     

人滑膜间充质干细胞与人脐带间充质干细胞的生物学性状比较

该文旨在比较人滑膜间充质干细胞(human synovial mesenchymal stem cells,hSMSCs)与人脐带间充质干细胞(human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells,hUC-MSCs)的生物学性状.流式细胞仪鉴定hSMSCs和hUC-MSCs.比较两种间...     

A Systems-level Characterization of the Differentiation of Human Embryonic Stem Cells into Mesenchymal Stem Cells,

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Highlights

• •Integrative multi-omics study characterizing the differentiation from hESCs into hMSCs.
• •Set of high confidence genes important in hESC to hMSC differentiation defined.
• •Two distinct expression waves of HOX genes and a AGO2-to-AGO3 switch in gene silencing identified.
• •AHNAK hypothesized as a defining factor in MSC biology.

     

Quantification of Mesenchymal Stem Cell (MSC) Delivery to a Target Site Using In Vivo Confocal Microscopy

The ability to deliver cells to appropriate target tissues is a prerequisite for successful cell-based therapy. To optimize cell therapy it is therefore necessary to develop a robust method of in vivo cell delivery quantification. Here we examine Mesenchymal Stem Cells (MSCs) labeled with a series of 4 membrane dyes from which we select the optimal dye combination for pair-wise comparisons of delivery to inflamed tissue in the mouse ear using confocal fluorescence imaging. The use of an optimized dye pair for simultaneous tracking of two cell populations in the same animal enables quantification of a test population that is referenced to an internal control population, thereby eliminating intra-subject variations and variations in injected cell numbers. Consistent results were obtained even when the administered cell number varied by more than an order of magnitude, demonstrating an ability to neutralize one of the largest sources of in vivo experimental error and to greatly reduce the number of cells required to evaluate cell delivery. With this method, we are able to show a small but significant increase in the delivery of cytokine pre-treated MSCs (TNF-α & IFN-γ) compared to control MSCs. Our results suggest future directions for screening cell strategies using our in vivo cell delivery assay, which may be useful to develop methods to maximize cell therapeutic potential.     

脂肪间充质干细胞的分离培养、多向分化及其应用前景

脂肪组织几乎遍布于动物体全身,在整个生命过程中有极强的可塑性. 近年研究表明,运用相似的分离方法,可从人、小鼠、大鼠、兔和猪等物种脂肪组织中分离获得脂肪间充质干细胞. 与骨髓来源的间充质干细胞相比,它具有相似的表面标记和分化潜能;在合适的诱导条件下,这种细胞能分别向3个胚层的细胞分化,如成肌细胞、心肌细胞、软骨细胞、成骨细胞、脂肪细胞、神经细胞、血管内皮细胞和肝细胞等;脂肪间充质干细胞具有来源丰富,取材安全方便和扩增速率高的特点,使其在细胞治疗和组织工程方面具有更广阔的应用前景.     

骨髓间充质干细胞对大鼠急性肾损伤的修复作用

目的：观察外源性骨髓间充质干细胞（Mesenchymal stem cells,MSCs）对庆大霉素（Gentamycin,GM）诱导的大鼠急性肾损伤是否具有治疗作用,并初探其机制。方法：建立腹腔注射庆大霉素致大鼠急性肾损伤模型。实验分为舡常对照组、模型组、MSCs治疗组（模型＋MSCs）、生理盐水组（模型＋生理盐水）。于不同处理后4d分别检测血尿素氮（BUN）和肌酐（Scr）水平,观察肾组织病理改变,免疫印迹及RT-PCR法检测肾组织肝细胞生长因子（Hepatocyte growth factor,HGF）水平。结果：模型组大鼠的BUN及Scr较正常对照组显著升高,且肾小管组织病理损伤严重;而MSCs治疗组大鼠的BUN及Scr水平较生理盐水组显著降低,肾小管组织病理损伤明显减轻。此外。促肾小管损伤修复的肝细胞生长因子（HGF）表达在MSCs治疗组显著高于生理盐水组。结论：MSCs输注可促进庆大霉素所致急性肾小管损伤的修复,改善肾功能,其作用机制可能是与上调肾组织中肝细胞细胞生长因子的表达有关。     

骨髓间充质干细胞对大鼠急性肾损伤的修复作用

目的:观察外源性骨髓间充质干细胞(Mesenchymal stem cells,MSCs)对庆大霉素(Gentamycin,GM)诱导的大鼠急性肾损伤是否具有治疗作用,并初探其机制。方法:建立腹腔注射庆大霉素致大鼠急性肾损伤模型实验分为正常对照组、模型组、MSCs治疗组(模型+MSCs)、生理盐水组(模型+生理盐水)。于不同处理后4d分别检测血尿素氮(BUN)和肌酐(Scr)水平,观察肾组织病理改变,免疫印迹及RT-PCR法检测肾组织肝细胞生长因子(Hepatocyte growth factor,HGF)水平。结果:模型组大鼠的BUN及Scr较正常对照组显著升高,且肾小管组织病理损伤严重;而MSCs治疗组大鼠的BUN及Scr水平较生理盐水组显著降低,肾小管组织病理损伤明显减轻。此外,促肾小管损伤修复的肝细胞生长因子(HGF)表达在MSCs治疗组显著高于生理盐水组。结论:MSCs输注可促进庆大霉素所致急性肾小管损伤的修复,改善肾功能,其作用机制可能是与上调肾组织中肝细胞细胞生长因子的表达有关。     

Mesenchymal Stem Cells Improve Medullary Inflammation and Fibrosis after Revascularization of Swine Atherosclerotic Renal Artery Stenosis

Atherosclerotic renal artery stenosis (ARAS) raises blood pressure and can reduce kidney function. Revascularization of the stenotic renal artery alone does not restore renal medullary structure and function. This study tested the hypothesis that addition of mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) to percutaneous transluminal renal angioplasty (PTRA) can restore stenotic-kidney medullary tubular transport function and attenuate its remodeling. Twenty-seven swine were divided into three ARAS (high-cholesterol diet and renal artery stenosis) and a normal control group. Six weeks after ARAS induction, two groups were treated with PTRA alone or PTRA supplemented with adipose-tissue-derived MSC (10×10⁶ cells intra-renal). Multi-detector computed tomography and blood-oxygenation-level-dependent (BOLD) MRI studies were performed 4 weeks later to assess kidney hemodynamics and function, and tissue collected a few days later for histology and micro-CT imaging. PTRA effectively decreased blood pressure, yet medullary vascular density remained low. Addition of MSC improved medullary vascularization in ARAS+PTRA+MSC and increased angiogenic signaling, including protein expression of vascular endothelial growth-factor, its receptor (FLK-1), and hypoxia-inducible factor-1α. ARAS+PTRA+MSC also showed attenuated inflammation, although oxidative-stress remained elevated. BOLD-MRI indicated that MSC normalized oxygen-dependent tubular response to furosemide (-4.3±0.9, −0.1±0.4, −1.6±0.9 and −3.6±1.0 s⁻¹ in Normal, ARAS, ARAS+PTRA and ARAS+PTRA+MSC, respectively, p<0.05), which correlated with a decrease in medullary tubular injury score (R² = 0.33, p = 0.02). Therefore, adjunctive MSC delivery in addition to PTRA reduces inflammation, fibrogenesis and vascular remodeling, and restores oxygen-dependent tubular function in the stenotic-kidney medulla, although additional interventions might be required to reduce oxidative-stress. This study supports development of cell-based strategies for renal protection in ARAS.     

Differentiation and Migration of Bone Marrow Mesenchymal Stem Cells Transplanted through the Spleen in Rats with Portal Hypertension

Aims

The goals of this paper were to evaluate the differentiation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) into hepatocyte-like cells in vitro, and to determine whether stem cells can migrate and plant into the liver with portal hypertension accompanied by the end-stage of liver disease.

Methods

BMSCs were isolated from rats and amplified with hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) and fibroblast growth factor-4 (FGF-4). The expression of alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), cytokeratin 18 (CK-18), and albumin (ALB) was detected by immunofluorescence in induced cells. Rats were randomly divided into experimental (with common bile duct ligation) and control groups. After injection of fluorescence labeled cells, cell distribution was observed under a fluorescence microscope. The integrated optical density (IOD) and cell distribution scores were evaluated using Image-Pro Plus 6.0 software. The portal pressure was measured before the rats were killed.

Results

After being induced with HGF and FGF-4, the Golgi apparatus, endoplasmic reticulum, ribosomes, and mitochondria all significantly increased in the fifth generation cells. Immunofluorescent analysis showed that the induced cells expressed AFP, CK-18, and ALB. BMSCs were stained by CM-Dil, and the labeling rate was as high as 95.5%. The portal pressure in experimental group was much higher than that of the control group (18.04±2.35 vs. 9.75±1.40cm H₂O p<0.01). The IOD of transplanted cells in the experimental group was also significantly higher than that of the control group (11.30±2.09×10⁵ vs. 2.93±0.88×10⁵, p<0.01). In addition, the cell distribution score in the experimental group was lower than that of the control group (1.99±0.36 vs. 2.36±0.27, P<0.05).

Conclusions

The combination of HGF and FGF-4 induces the differentiation of BMSCs into hepatocyte-like cells, which express AFP, CK-18, and ALB. In addition, the recruitment of BMSCs (after transplantation in the spleen) was improved in rats with portal hypertension.     

HIV-1 Tat蛋白抑制骨髓间充质干细胞的造血支持功能

目的:通过研究人类免疫缺陷病毒1型(HIV-1)Tat蛋白对骨髓间充质干细胞(BMSC)造血支持功能的影响,进一步揭示HIV-1感染者造血损伤的机理。方法:原代培养BMSC,流式检测其表面标志,诱导分化鉴定其多向分化潜能;免疫磁珠分选造血干细胞(HSC),流式检测其纯度;HIV-1 Tat蛋白添加到培养基中培养20天的BMSC(BMSC_(Tat))与对照BMSC(BMSC_(Con))分别作为滋养层与HSC分6组进行共培养,随后计数各组造血细胞总数,诱导分化检测造血细胞集落形成能力;RT-PCR检测BMSC_(Tat)和BMSC_(Con)造血相关因子mRNA的表达强度,ELISA检测BMSC_(Tat)和BMSC_(Con)条件培养液中造血相关因子GM-CSF及IL-6的浓度。结果:经鉴定成功培养获得原代BMSC;免疫磁珠分选的HSC纯度可达95%以上;分6组共培养进行比较,以BMSC_(Tat)为滋养层培养的造血细胞总数及造血细胞形成的集落总数均明显少于以BMSC_(Con)为滋养层;BMSC_(Tat)的造血相关因子的mRNA的表达明显弱于BMSC_(Con),BMSC_(Tat)的条件培养液中GM-CSF和IL-6的浓度均明显低于BMSC_(Con)。结论:HIV-1 Tat蛋白对BMSC的造血支持功能有明显的抑制作用。