A critical role of IFNγ in priming MSC-mediated suppression of T cell proliferation through up-regulation of B7-H1

Bone-marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have been shown to possess immunosuppressive properties, e.g., by inhibiting T cell proliferation. Activated T cells can also enhance the immunosuppression ability of MSCs. The precise mechanisms underlying MSC-mediated immunosuppression remain largely undefined, although both cell-cell contact and soluble factors have been implicated; nor is it clear how the immunosuppressive property of MSCs is modulated by T cells. Using MSCs isolated from mouse bone marrow, we show here that interferon gamma (IFN gamma), a well-known proinflammatory cytokine produced by activated T cells, plays an important role in priming the immunosuppressive property of MSCs. Mechanistically IFN gamma acts directly on MSCs and leads to up-regulation of B7-H1, an inhibitory surface molecule in these stem cells. MSCs primed by activated T cells derived from IFN gamma-/- mouse exhibited dramatically reduced ability to suppress T cell proliferation, a defect that can be rescued by supplying exogenous IFN gamma. Moreover, siRNA-mediated knockdown of B7-H1 in MSCs abolished immunosuppression by these cells. Taken together, our results suggest that IFN gamma plays a critical role in triggering the immunosuppression by MSCs through upregulating B7-H1 in these cells, and provide evidence supporting the cell-cell contact mechanism in MSC-mediated immunosuppression.