Influence of exposure to microbial ligands, immunosuppressive drugs and chronic kidney disease on endogenous immunomodulatory gene expression in feline adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells

Objectives Feline autologous mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) show promise for immunomodulatory activity, but the functional impact of chronic kidney disease (CKD), concurrent immunosuppressive drug administration or infection is unknown. The study objectives compare endogenous cytokine gene expression (interleukin [IL]-6, IL-10, IL-12p40, IL-18 and transforming growth factor beta [TGF-beta]) in adipose-derived MSCs (aMSCs) from cats with and without CKD, following in vitro exposure to microbial ligands and treatment with common immunosuppressive drugs. Methods Previously obtained aMSCs, phenotype CD44(+), CD90(+), CD105(+) and MHCII-, from cats with (n = 6) and without (n = 6) CKD were compared via real-time PCR (RT-PCR) for immunomodulatory gene expression. aMSCs were exposed in vitro to lipopolysaccharide (LPS), peptidoglycan or polyinosinic:polycytidylic acid (Poly I:C), simulating bacterial or viral exposure, respectively. aMSCs were also exposed to ciclosporin, dexamethasone or methotrexate. Gene expression was measured using RT-PCR, and C-q was utilized after each run to calculate the delta cycle threshold. Results aMSCs isolated from healthy and CKD cats showed no significant differences in gene expression in the five measured cytokines. No significant changes in measured gene expression after drug treatment or microbial ligand stimulation were observed between normal or CKD affected cats. Proinflammatory genes (IL-6, IL-12p40 and IL-18) showed altered expression in aMSCs from both groups when compared with the same cells in standard culture after exposure to methotrexate. Poly I:C altered IL-6 and TGF-beta gene expression in aMSCs from both healthy and CKD cats when compared with the same cells in standard culture. Conclusions and relevance The five genes tested showed no statistical differences between aMSCs from healthy or CKD cats. There was altered cytokine gene expression between the control and treatment groups of both healthy and CKD cats suggesting feline aMSCs have altered function with immunosuppressive treatment or microbial ligand exposure. Although the current clinical relevance of this pilot study comparing brief exposure to select agents in vitro in aMSCs from a small number of cats is unknown, the study highlights a need for continued investigation into the effects of disease and concurrent therapies on use of cell-based therapies in feline patients.

Automated summary

The study found no significant differences in gene expression of certain cytokines between MSCs from healthy cats and cats with CKD. However, there were altered cytokine gene expressions after exposure to certain drug treatments or microbial ligands in both healthy and CKD affected cats, suggesting that feline MSCs may function differently in response to immunosuppressive treatments or infections. More research is needed to understand the effects of diseases and therapies on the use of cell-based therapies in feline patients.