Human mesenchymal stem cells derived from induced pluripotent stem cells down-regulate NK-cell cytolytic machinery

Blood. 2011 Sep 22;118(12):3254-62. doi: 10.1182/blood-2010-12-325324. Epub 2011 Jul 29.

Abstract

A major issue in immunosuppressive biotherapy is the use of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) that harbor regulatory capacity. However, currently used bone marrow-derived MSCs (BM-MSCs) are short-lived and cannot assure long lasting immunoregulatory function both in vitro and in vivo. Consequently, we have generated MSCs from human induced pluripotent stem (IPS-MSCs) cells that share similar properties with embryonic stem cells (ES-MSCs). Herein, we compared the immunoregulatory properties of ES/IPS-MSCs with those of BM-MSCs and showed, for the first time, that IPS-derived MSCs display remarkable inhibition of NK-cell proliferation and cytolytic function in a similar way to ES-MSCs. Both MSCs disrupt NK-cell cytolytic machinery in the same fashion that BM-MSCs, by down-regulating the expression of different activation markers and ERK1/2 signaling, leading to an impairment to form immunologic synapses with target cells and, therefore, secretion of cytotoxic granules. In addition, they are more resistant than adult BM-MSCs to preactivated NK cells. IPS-MSCs could represent an attractive alternative source of immunoregulatory cells, and their capacity to impair NK-cell cytotoxicity constitutes a complex mechanism to prevent allograft rejection.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amniotic Fluid / cytology
  • Bone Marrow / immunology*
  • Cell Differentiation
  • Cell Proliferation
  • Cell Separation
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Down-Regulation
  • Embryonic Stem Cells* / cytology
  • Embryonic Stem Cells* / immunology
  • Flow Cytometry
  • Graft Rejection / prevention & control
  • Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation
  • Hematopoietic Stem Cells / cytology
  • Hematopoietic Stem Cells / immunology*
  • Humans
  • Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells* / cytology
  • Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells* / immunology
  • Killer Cells, Natural / cytology
  • Killer Cells, Natural / immunology
  • Killer Cells, Natural / metabolism*
  • Lentivirus
  • Lymphocyte Activation / immunology
  • Mesenchymal Stem Cells* / cytology
  • Mesenchymal Stem Cells* / immunology
  • Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 1 / metabolism
  • Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 3 / metabolism
  • Signal Transduction / immunology*
  • Transduction, Genetic

Substances

  • MAPK1 protein, human
  • Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 1
  • Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 3