Therapeutic Potential of Umbilical Cord MSC in Crohn's Disease Is Related to Regulation of the Relative Content and Function of Th17 Lymphocytes

Inflammatory bowel diseases, including Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, are chronic and relapsing autoimmune disorders with active participation of Th17 lymphocytes. In the recent treatment strategy of Crohn's disease, human umbilical cord matrix (Wharton's jelly) has been reported having immune privilege. In this study, primary umbilical cord MSC were isolated and cultured for further treatment, their immunophenotype and functional features were confirmed by flow cytometry and adipogenesis, osteogenesis, and chondrogenesis assays. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) were isolated from 11 patients with fistulizing Crohn's disease and 14 healthy volunteers, and the proportions of CD8-CD17A(+)T lymphocytes and CD3(+)T cells in these samples cultured in the presence or absence of umbilical cord MSC were analyzed by flow cytometry. In addition, proliferation of T cells was assessed by CFSE staining. In PBMC samples from patients with Crohn's disease, the content of CD8-CD17A(+)T lymphocytes was higher than in samples from heathy controls, however, co-culturing with umbilical cord MSC decreased the proportion of CD8-CD17A(+)T lymphocytes in PBMC samples isolated from Crohn's disease patients. Additionally, co-culturing of PBMC from Crohn's disease patients with umbilical cord MSC improved T cells function, including CD3(+)T cells level and T cells proliferation. These results suggest that umbilical cord MSC treatment could alleviate elevation CD8-CD17A(+)T lymphocyte in Crohn's disease patients and modulate T cells dysfunctions, which implies that umbilical cord MSC might be a promising strategy for Crohn's disease patients.

Automated summary

This study found that treatment with umbilical cord MSC could alleviate the increase of CD8-CD17A(+)T lymphocytes in Crohn's disease patients and improve T cells dysfunctions.