Xiao-Pei Cao1, Dong-Mei Han2, Li Zhao3, Zi-Kuan Guo4, Feng-Jun Xiao4, Yi-Kun Zhang4, Xiao-Yan Zhang4, Li-Sheng Wang4, Heng-Xiang Wang5, Hua Wang6. 1. HeBei North University, Zhangjiakou, China; Department of Experimental Hematology, Beijing Institute of Radiation Medicine, Beijing, China. 2. Department of Hematology, Air Force General Hospital, Beijing, China. 3. Department of Experimental Pathology, Beijing Institute of Radiation Medicine, Beijing, China. 4. Department of Experimental Hematology, Beijing Institute of Radiation Medicine, Beijing, China. 5. Department of Hematology, Air Force General Hospital, Beijing, China. Electronic address: wanghengxiang123@aliyun.com. 6. Department of Experimental Hematology, Beijing Institute of Radiation Medicine, Beijing, China. Electronic address: wanghua@bmi.ac.cn.
Abstract
BACKGROUND AIMS: Specific and effective therapy for prevention or reversal of bronchiolitis obliterans (BO) is lacking. In this study, we evaluated the therapeutic effect of hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) gene modified mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) on BO. METHODS: A mouse model of experimental BO was established by subcutaneously transplanting the tracheas from C57BL/6 mice into Balb/C recipients, which were then administered saline, Ad-HGF-modified human umbilical cord-MSCs (MSCs-HGF) or Ad-Null-modified MSCs (MSCs-Null). The therapeutic effects of MSCs-Null and MSCs-HGF were evaluated by using fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) for lymphocyte immunophenotype of spleen, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and real-time polymerase chain reaction (rt-PCR) for cytokine expression, and histopathological analysis for the transplanted trachea. RESULTS: The histopathologic recovery of allograft tracheas was improved significantly after MSCs-Null and MSCs-HGF treatment and the beneficial effects were particularly observed in MSCs-HGF-treated mice. Furthermore, the allo-transplantation-induced immunophenotype disorders of the spleen, including regulatory T (Treg), T helper (Th)1, Th2 and Th17, were attenuated in both cell-treated groups. MSCs-HGF treatment reduced expression and secretion of inflammation cytokines interferon-gamma (IFN-γ), and increased expression of anti-inflammatory cytokine interleukin (IL)-4 and IL-10. It also decreased the expression level of the profibrosis factor transforming growth factor (TGF)-β. CONCLUSION: Treatment of BO with HGF gene modified MSCs results in reduction of local inflammation and promotion in recovery of allograft trachea histopathology. These findings might provide an effective therapeutic strategy for BO.
BACKGROUND AIMS: Specific and effective therapy for prevention or reversal of bronchiolitis obliterans (BO) is lacking. In this study, we evaluated the therapeutic effect of hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) gene modified mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) on BO. METHODS: A mouse model of experimental BO was established by subcutaneously transplanting the tracheas from C57BL/6 mice into Balb/C recipients, which were then administered saline, Ad-HGF-modified human umbilical cord-MSCs (MSCs-HGF) or Ad-Null-modified MSCs (MSCs-Null). The therapeutic effects of MSCs-Null and MSCs-HGF were evaluated by using fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) for lymphocyte immunophenotype of spleen, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and real-time polymerase chain reaction (rt-PCR) for cytokine expression, and histopathological analysis for the transplanted trachea. RESULTS: The histopathologic recovery of allograft tracheas was improved significantly after MSCs-Null and MSCs-HGF treatment and the beneficial effects were particularly observed in MSCs-HGF-treated mice. Furthermore, the allo-transplantation-induced immunophenotype disorders of the spleen, including regulatory T (Treg), T helper (Th)1, Th2 and Th17, were attenuated in both cell-treated groups. MSCs-HGF treatment reduced expression and secretion of inflammation cytokines interferon-gamma (IFN-γ), and increased expression of anti-inflammatory cytokine interleukin (IL)-4 and IL-10. It also decreased the expression level of the profibrosis factor transforming growth factor (TGF)-β. CONCLUSION: Treatment of BO with HGF gene modified MSCs results in reduction of local inflammation and promotion in recovery of allograft trachea histopathology. These findings might provide an effective therapeutic strategy for BO.