Mesenchymal stem cells abrogate experimental asthma by altering dendritic cell function

Mol Med Rep. 2015 Aug;12(2):2511-20. doi: 10.3892/mmr.2015.3706. Epub 2015 Apr 30.

Abstract

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have been investigated in the treatment of numerous autoimmune diseases. However, the immune properties of MSCs on the development of asthma have remained to be fully elucidated. Airway dendritic cells (DCs) have an important role in the pathogenesis of allergic asthma, and disrupting their function may be a novel therapeutic approach. The present study used a mouse model of asthma to demonstrate that transplantation of MSCs suppressed features of asthma by targeting the function of lung myeloid DCs. MSCs suppressed the maturation and migration of lung DCs to the mediastinal lymph nodes, and thereby reducing the allergen-specific T helper type 2 (Th2) response in the nodes. In addition, MSC-treated DCs were less potent in activating naive and effector Th2 cells and the capacity of producing chemokine (C-C motif) ligand 17 (CCL17) and CCL22, which are chemokines attracting Th2 cells, to the airways was reduced. These results supported that MSCs may be used as a potential treatment for asthma.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antibodies, Neutralizing / administration & dosage
  • Asthma / chemically induced
  • Asthma / immunology
  • Asthma / pathology
  • Asthma / therapy*
  • Cell Differentiation
  • Cell Movement
  • Chemokine CCL17 / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Chemokine CCL17 / biosynthesis
  • Chemokine CCL17 / immunology
  • Chemokine CCL22 / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Chemokine CCL22 / biosynthesis
  • Chemokine CCL22 / immunology
  • Dendritic Cells / drug effects
  • Dendritic Cells / immunology*
  • Dendritic Cells / pathology
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Lung / immunology*
  • Lung / pathology
  • Lymph Nodes / immunology
  • Lymph Nodes / pathology
  • Lymphocyte Activation
  • Mesenchymal Stem Cell Transplantation*
  • Mesenchymal Stem Cells / immunology
  • Mesenchymal Stem Cells / pathology
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Ovalbumin / administration & dosage
  • Th2 Cells / immunology
  • Th2 Cells / pathology

Substances

  • Antibodies, Neutralizing
  • Ccl17 protein, mouse
  • Ccl22 protein, mouse
  • Chemokine CCL17
  • Chemokine CCL22
  • Ovalbumin