Peking University Hospital Ren Hanyun and Li Yuan team discovered a new mechanism for mesenchymal stem cells to improve idiopathic pneumonia syndrome

In July, the team of Professor Ren Hanyun and Associate Professor Li Yuan from the Department of Hematology of Peking University Hospital found that bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) can inhibit T cell activation by regulating the chemokine CCR2-CCL2 axis, and induce CCR2 with immunomodulatory effects.

The research result "Mesenchymal stem cells alleviate idiopathicpneumonia syndrome by modulating T cellfunction through CCR2-CCL2 axis" was published as a paper in Stem Cell Research & Therapy (Q1 area, IF6.

Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) has been increasingly used to treat malignant and non-malignant hematological diseases

In the research on the pathogenesis of IPS, it is currently believed that pretreatment causes lung tissue damage-production of cytokines and chemokines-alloreactive donor T lymphocytes are recruited into the lungs.

MSCs are adult stem cells isolated from various human tissues (including bone marrow, adipose tissue, umbilical cord blood, and skeletal muscle), and can differentiate into a variety of cell types

In order to further explore the immunomodulatory effects of MSCs on cytokines and chemokines, researchers from the Department of Hematology, Peking University Hospital used the expanded MSCs cultured in vitro to co-culture with activated T cells and found that the expression of CCL2 in MSC cells increased (Figure 1) And MSC cells can inhibit the proliferation and activation of T cells and promote the expression of CCR2 on the surface of T cells.

The research group used MSCs infusion into a mouse IPS model to study the preventive effects and mechanisms of MSCs on IPS from the perspective of chemokines and T cells expressing chemokine receptors

This study provides evidence for the first time that the CCR2-CCL2 axis is a new mechanism for MSCs to regulate T cell function, and provides a theoretical basis for the use of MSCs, chemokine CCL2 or CCR2+CD4+ T cells to treat immune-related diseases

Figure 1 After co-cultivation with T cells in vitro, the expression of CCL2 in MSC cells increased

Figure 2 After co-cultured with T cells in vitro, MSC cells can inhibit the proliferation and activation of T cells and promote the expression of CCR2 on the surface of T cells.

Figure 3 MSC cells can prolong the survival of IPS model mice and improve the clinical symptoms of IPS.

Figure 4 MSC cells increased the level of CCL2 in the alveolar lavage fluid of IPS model mice, promoted the expression of CCR2 by T cells in the lung, and inhibited the activation of T cells

【Profile of the expert】

Ren Hanyun, chief physician, professor, and doctoral supervisor

Li Yuan, chief physician, associate professor, and doctoral supervisor