Modulation of murine macrophage TLR7/8-mediated cytokine expression by mesenchymal stem cell-conditioned medium

Mediators Inflamm. 2013:2013:264260. doi: 10.1155/2013/264260. Epub 2013 Sep 28.

Abstract

Increasing evidence suggests that mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) play anti-inflammatory roles during innate immune responses. However, little is known about the effect of MSCs or their secretions on the ligand response of Toll-like receptor (TLR) 7 and TLR8, receptors that recognize viral single-stranded RNA (ssRNA). Macrophages play a critical role in the innate immune response to ssRNA virus infection; therefore, we investigated the effect of MSC-conditioned medium on cytokine expression in macrophages following stimulation with TLR7/8 ligands. After stimulation with TLR7/8 ligand, bone marrow-derived macrophages cultured with MSCs or in MSC-conditioned medium expressed lower levels of tumor necrosis factor (TNF) α and interleukin (IL) 6 and higher levels of IL-10 compared to macrophages cultured without MSCs or in control medium, respectively. The modulations of cytokine expression were associated with prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) secreted by the MSCs. PGE2 enhanced extracellular signal-related kinase (ERK) signaling and suppressed nuclear factor- κ B (NF- κ B) signaling. Enhanced ERK signaling contributed to enhanced IL-10 production, and suppression of NF- κ B signaling contributed to the low production of TNF- α . Collectively, these results indicate that MSCs and MSC-conditioned medium modulate the cytokine expression profile in macrophages following TLR7/8-mediated stimulation, which suggests that MSCs play an immunomodulatory role during ssRNA virus infection.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Bone Marrow Cells / cytology
  • Culture Media, Conditioned / chemistry*
  • Cytokines / metabolism*
  • Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay
  • Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases / metabolism
  • Gene Expression Regulation
  • Humans
  • Immunologic Factors / chemistry
  • Interleukin-10 / metabolism
  • Interleukin-6 / metabolism
  • Ligands
  • Macrophages / cytology*
  • Macrophages / metabolism
  • Male
  • Membrane Glycoproteins / metabolism*
  • Mesenchymal Stem Cells / cytology*
  • Mesenchymal Stem Cells / virology
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • NF-kappa B / metabolism
  • RNA Viruses
  • Signal Transduction
  • Toll-Like Receptor 7 / metabolism*
  • Toll-Like Receptor 8 / metabolism*
  • Transcription Factor RelA / metabolism
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / metabolism

Substances

  • Culture Media, Conditioned
  • Cytokines
  • Immunologic Factors
  • Interleukin-6
  • Ligands
  • Membrane Glycoproteins
  • NF-kappa B
  • Rela protein, mouse
  • TLR8 protein, mouse
  • Tlr7 protein, mouse
  • Toll-Like Receptor 7
  • Toll-Like Receptor 8
  • Transcription Factor RelA
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha
  • Interleukin-10
  • Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases