Immunomodulatory Effects of Human Adipose Tissue-derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells on T Cell Subsets in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis

Iran J Allergy Asthma Immunol. 2019 Feb;18(1):114-119.

Abstract

Adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (Ad-MSCs) have been reported to suppress the effector T cell responses and have beneficial effects on various immune disorders, like rheumatoid arthritis (RA). This study was designed to investigate the effects of co-cultured Ad-MSCs on peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of RA patients and healthy individuals, through assessing transcription factors of T cell subsets. PBMCs from RA patients and healthy donors were co-cultured with Ad-MSCs with or without Phytohaemagglutinin (PHA). The quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was used to measure the expression of T-box 21 (T-bet), GATA-binding protein-3 (GATA3), retinoid-related orphan receptor γt (ROR-γt) and forkhead box P3 (Foxp3). Based on the results, Ad-MSCs greatly upregulated Th2 and Treg cell transcription factors, i.e., GATA3 and Foxp3 (p<0.05), and downregulated Th1 and Th17 transcription factors, i.e., T-bet and RORγt (p<0.05). These results demonstrate that Ad-MSCs can result in an immunosuppressive environment through inhibition of pro-inflammatory T cells and induction of T cells with a regulatory phenotype. Therefore, they might have important clinical implications for inflammatory and autoimmune diseases such as RA.

Keywords: Adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cell; Foxp3; GATA3; ROR-γ; Regulatory T cells; Rheumatoid arthritis; T helper 1; T helper 17; T helper 2; T-bet.

MeSH terms

  • Adipose Tissue / cytology*
  • Adult
  • Arthritis, Rheumatoid / genetics
  • Arthritis, Rheumatoid / immunology*
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Coculture Techniques
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Immunomodulation
  • Male
  • Mesenchymal Stem Cells / immunology*
  • Middle Aged
  • Nuclear Receptor Subfamily 1, Group F, Member 3 / genetics
  • T-Lymphocyte Subsets / immunology*
  • Transcription Factors / genetics

Substances

  • Nuclear Receptor Subfamily 1, Group F, Member 3
  • Transcription Factors