Immunomodulation by mesenchymal stem cells: Interplay between mesenchymal stem cells and regulatory lymphocytes

Abstract

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) possess immunomodulatory properties, which confer enormous potential for clinical application. Considerable evidence revealed their efficacy on various animal models of autoimmune diseases, such as multiple sclerosis, systemic lupus erythematosus and uveitis. MSCs elicit their immunomodulatory effects by inhibiting lymphocyte activation and proliferation, forbidding the secretion of proinflammatory cytokines, limiting the function of antigen presenting cells, and inducing regulatory T (T reg ) and B (B reg ) cells. The induction of T reg and B reg cells is of particular interest since T reg and B reg cells have significant roles in maintaining immune tolerance. Several mechanisms have been proposed reg arding to the MSCs-mediated induction of T reg and B reg cells. Accordingly, MSCs induce reg ulatory lymphocytes through secretion of multiple pleiotropic cytokines, cell-to-cell contact with target cells and modulation of antigen-presenting cells. Here, we summarized how MSCs induce T reg and B reg cells to provoke immunosuppression.