NDT Advance Access originally published online on November 19, 2007
Nephrology Dialysis Transplantation 2008 23(4):1196-1202; doi:10.1093/ndt/gfm740
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Human mesenchymal stem cells inhibit antibody production induced in vitro by allostimulation
1 Transplant Immunology and Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico S. Matteo, University of Pavia, 27100 Pavia 2 Pediatric Nephrology Unit, G. Gaslini Institute, 16147 Genova 3 Transplant Immunology and Blood Transfusion Center, Fondazione IRCCS Maggiore Hospital, 20122 Milano Italy 4 Department of Hematology, S. Martino Hospital, 16132 Genova, Italy
Patrizia Comoli, Laboratorio Sperimentale di Trapianto di Midollo Osseo, Oncoematologia Pediatrica, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico S. Matteo, Università di Pavia, V.le Golgi 19, 27100 Pavia, Italy. Tel: +39-0382-502716; Fax: +39-0382-527976; E-mail: pcomoli{at}smatteo.pv.it
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Abstract |
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Background. Antibodies directed against alloantigens are implicated in the pathogenesis of several immune reactions complicating transplantation, including humoral rejection after solid organ transplantation. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have immunomodulatory capacity, since in vivo they may prolong skin graft survival in the animal model and can rescue patients with life-threatening graft-versus-host disease.
Methods. To investigate whether MSCs exert an inhibitory effect on antibody production during allostimulation, we stimulated peripheral blood mononuclear cells, obtained from healthy controls or sensitized patients undergoing dialysis for end-stage renal failure, in mixed lymphocyte culture (MLC), and evaluated immunoglobulin production either in the absence or in the presence of third-party allogeneic MSCs. We also evaluated the effect of MSCs on B-cell allostimulation performed adding to MLC a polyclonal stimulus delivered by an agonist anti-CD40 monoclonal antibody.
Results. We found that the addition of MSCs at the beginning of MLC considerably inhibited immunoglobulin production in standard MLC, irrespective of the MSC dose employed. Conversely, immunoglobulin secretion induced by direct CD40-CD40L binding was not significantly inhibited. Furthermore, we demonstrated, in one sensitized patient, that secretion of donor-specific anti-HLA class I antibodies detected both in baseline serum and in the supernatant of control MLC was inhibited by the addition of MSCs. Mechanistically, the addition of MSCs induced a striking decrease of IL-5 production in the cultures.
Conclusions. Our findings suggest that third-party MSC are able to suppress allo-specific antibody production in vitro, and may therefore help overcome a positive cross-match in sensitized transplant recipients.
Keywords: alloantigen-specific Ig; humoral immune response; kidney transplantation; mesenchymal stem cells
Received for publication: 25. 6.07
Accepted in revised form: 20. 9.07