Mesenchymal Stem Cells Attenuate Lipopolysaccharide-Induced Inflammatory Response in Human Uterine Smooth Muscle Cells

Arunmani Mani; John W. Hotra; Sean C. Blackwell; Laura Goetzl; Jerrie S. Refuerzo

doi:10.1055/s-0040-1715166

American Journal of Perinatology Reports, Table of Contents

CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 · AJP Rep 2020; 10(03): e335-e341
DOI: 10.1055/s-0040-1715166

Case Report

Mesenchymal Stem Cells Attenuate Lipopolysaccharide-Induced Inflammatory Response in Human Uterine Smooth Muscle Cells

Arunmani Mani

¹Division of Maternal Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, UT Health-McGovern Medical School, Houston, Texas

,

John W. Hotra

¹Division of Maternal Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, UT Health-McGovern Medical School, Houston, Texas

,

Sean C. Blackwell

¹Division of Maternal Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, UT Health-McGovern Medical School, Houston, Texas

,

Laura Goetzl

¹Division of Maternal Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, UT Health-McGovern Medical School, Houston, Texas

,

Jerrie S. Refuerzo

¹Division of Maternal Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, UT Health-McGovern Medical School, Houston, Texas

› Author Affiliations

Abstract

Objective The aim of this study was to determine if mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) would suppress the inflammatory response in human uterine cells in an in vitro lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-based preterm birth (PTB) model.

Study Design Cocultures of human uterine smooth muscle cells (HUtSMCs) and MSCs were exposed to 5 μg/mL LPS for 4 hours and further challenged with 1 μg/mL LPS for a subsequent 24 hours. Key elements of the parturition cascade regulated by toll-like receptors (TLRs) through activation of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) were quantified in culture supernatant as biomarkers of MSC modulation.

Results Coculture with MSCs significantly attenuated TLR-4, p-JNK, and p- extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2) protein levels compared with HUtSMCs monoculture (p = 0.05). In addition, coculture was associated with significant inhibition of proinflammatory cytokines interleukin (IL)-6 and IL-8 (p = 0.0001) and increased production of anti-inflammatory cytokines IL-10 and transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1 (p = 0.0001).

Conclusion MSCs appear to play a role in significantly attenuating LPS-mediated inflammation via alteration of down-stream MAPKs. MSCs may represent a novel, cell-based therapy in women with increased risk of inflammatory-mediated preterm birth.

Keywords

mesenchymal stem cells - lipopolysaccharide - inflammatory response - cytokines - preterm birth

Full Text

References

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