Gap junction-mediated cell-cell interaction between transplanted mesenchymal stem cells and vascular endothelium in stroke

We have shown previously that transplanted bone marrow mononuclear cells (BM-MNC), which are a cell fraction rich in hematopoietic stem cells, can activate cerebral endothelial cells via gap junction-mediated cell-cell interaction. In the present study, we investigated such cell-cell interaction between mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) and cerebral endothelial cells. In contrast to BM-MNC, for MSC we observed suppression of vascular endothelial growth factor uptake into endothelial cells and transfer of glucose from endothelial cells to MSC in vitro. The transfer of such a small molecule from MSC to vascular endothelium was subsequently confirmed in vivo and was followed by suppressed activation of macrophage/microglia in stroke mice. The suppressive effect was absent by blockade of gap junction at MSC. Furthermore, gap junction-mediated cell-cell interaction was observed between circulating white blood cells and MSC. Our findings indicate that gap junction-mediated cell-cell interaction is one of the major pathways for MSC-mediated suppression of inflammation in the brain following stroke and provides a novel strategy to maintain the blood-brain barrier in injured brain. Furthermore, our current results have the potential to provide a novel insight for other ongoing clinical trials that make use of MSC transplantation aiming to suppress excess inflammation, as well as other diseases such as COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019).

Automated summary

The study revealed that mesenchymal stem cells can suppress inflammation in the brain through cell-cell interaction, potentially offering a new strategy to maintain the blood-brain barrier in injured brain. This finding may provide new insights for clinical trials using MSC transplantation to suppress excess inflammation, including in diseases like COVID-19.