Mesenchymal Stem Cells Promote T Cell Survival

Genoa, Italy -

The ability of mesenchymal stem cells to suppress immune response is well known. However, the mechanisms associated with such immune suppression are still being elucidated. While it is known that mesenchymal stem cells are clinically effective at inhibiting graft versus host disease, the mechanism of this activity may be direct killing of T cells, or alternatively modulation of T cell properties.

For example, mesenchymal stem cells may be virtue of FasL expression induce direct T cell killing, or alterantively by expression of IL-10 and TGF-beta may inhibit T cell ability to produce inflammatory cytokines without actually killing the T cell.

A recent study demonstrated some very interesting findings. Benvenuto et al (HUMAN MESENCHYMAL STEM CELLS PROMOTE SURVIVAL OF T CELLS IN A QUIESCENT STATE. Stem Cells. 2007 Mar 29) have recently published that mesenchymal stem cells actually promote survival of T cells, as well as thymocytes prone to apoptosis. The study demonstrated that co-culture of mesenchymal stem cells with T cells inhibits various caspase pathways as well as fas-fasL expression on the T cell itself.

Thus it may be that mesenchymal stem cells promote survival of anti-inflammatory T cells, or even more interesing, T regulatory cells. The use of mesenchymal stem cells to generate T suppressor cells is patent by Osiris.