1. Academic Validation
  2. hPMSCs inhibit the expression of PD-1 in CD4+IL-10+ T cells and mitigate liver damage in a GVHD mouse model by regulating the crosstalk between Nrf2 and NF-κB signaling pathway

hPMSCs inhibit the expression of PD-1 in CD4+IL-10+ T cells and mitigate liver damage in a GVHD mouse model by regulating the crosstalk between Nrf2 and NF-κB signaling pathway

  • Stem Cell Res Ther. 2021 Jun 29;12(1):368. doi: 10.1186/s13287-021-02407-5.
Aiping Zhang  # 1 Jiashen Zhang  # 1 Xiaohua Li  # 2 Hengchao Zhang 1 Yanlian Xiong 3 Zhuoya Wang 1 Nannan Zhao 1 Feifei Wang 4 Xiying Luan 5
Affiliations

Affiliations

  • 1 Department of Immunology, Binzhou Medical University, Yantai, Shandong Province, 264003, People's Republic of China.
  • 2 Department of Component, Yantai Central Blood Station, Yantai, Shandong Province, 264003, People's Republic of China.
  • 3 Department of Anatomy, Binzhou Medical University, Yantai, Shandong Province, 264003, People's Republic of China.
  • 4 Department of Anesthesiology, Yantai Affiliated Hospital of Binzhou Medical University, Shandong Province, 264003, Yantai, People's Republic of China. [email protected].
  • 5 Department of Immunology, Binzhou Medical University, Yantai, Shandong Province, 264003, People's Republic of China. [email protected].
  • # Contributed equally.
Abstract

Background: The activation of T cells and imbalanced redox metabolism enhances the development of graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). Human placenta-derived mesenchymal stromal cells (hPMSCs) can improve GVHD through regulating T cell responses. However, whether hPMSCs balance the redox metabolism of CD4+IL-10+ T cells and liver tissue and alleviate GVHD remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate the effect of hPMSC-mediated treatment of GVHD associated with CD4+IL-10+ T cell generation via control of redox metabolism and PD-1 expression and whether the Nrf2 and NF-κB signaling pathways were both involved in the process.

Methods: A GVHD mouse model was induced using 6-8-week-old C57BL/6 and Balb/c mice, which were treated with hPMSCs. In order to observe whether hPMSCs affect the generation of CD4+IL-10+ T cells via control of redox metabolism and PD-1 expression, a CD4+IL-10+ T Cell Culture system was induced using human naive CD4+ T cells. The percentage of CD4+IL-10+ T cells and their PD-1 expression levels were determined in vivo and in vitro using flow cytometry, and Nrf2, HO-1, NQO1, GCLC, GCLM, and NF-κB levels were determined by western blotting, qRT-PCR, and immunofluorescence, respectively. Hematoxylin-eosin, Masson's trichrome, and periodic acid-Schiff staining methods were employed to analyze the changes in hepatic tissue.

Results: A decreased activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and a proportion of CD4+IL-10+ T cells with increased PD-1 expression were observed in GVHD patients and the mouse model. Treatment with hPMSCs increased SOD activity and GCL and GSH levels in the GVHD mouse model. The percentage of CD4+IL-10+ T cells with decreased PD-1 expression, as well as Nrf2, HO-1, NQO1, GCLC, and GCLM levels, both in the GVHD mouse model and in the process of CD4+IL-10+ T cell generation, were also increased, but NF-κB phosphorylation and nuclear translocation were inhibited after treatment with hPMSCs, which was accompanied by improvement of hepatic histopathological changes.

Conclusions: The findings suggested that hPMSC-mediated redox metabolism balance and decreased PD-1 expression in CD4+IL-10+ T cells were achieved by controlling the crosstalk between Nrf2 and NF-κB, which further provided evidence for the application of hPMSC-mediated treatment of GVHD.

Keywords

CD4+IL-10+ T cells; Graft-versus-host disease; Human placenta-derived mesenchymal stromal cells; Nuclear factor kappa-B; Nuclear factor-E2-related factor 2; Programmed death-1.

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