title: Cytotoxicity of human umbilical cord blood-derived mesenchymal stem cells against human malignant glioma cells.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) represent a potential useful source for cell-based glioma therapies because these cells evidence both orthodox and unorthodox plasticity and also show tropism for cancer. In this study, the authors attempted to access the cytotoxicity of human umbilical cord blood (hUCB)-derived MSCs, with or without cytokine activations against malignant glioma cells.
  
  
  METHODS
  hUCB-derived MSCs were activated by interleukin-2, interleukin-15, granulocyte macrophage colony-stimulating factor, and combinations. The hUCB-derived MSCs and activated hUCB-derived MSCs were effector cells. The cytotoxicity of the unactivated hUCB-derived MSCs and activated hUCB-derived MSCs against the target cells (human malignant glioma cells) was estimated via visual survival cell assays and transwell inserts. Phenotypic changes occurring in these hUCB-derived MSCs before and after cytokine activation were determined via flow cytometry. The secreted proteins from these effector cells were estimated via enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We noted a significant cytotoxicity of hUCB-derived MSCs against malignant glioma cells. In addition, the hUCB-derived MSCs activated with cytokines evidenced significantly higher cytotoxicity than that observed with unactivated hUCB-derived MSCs. Differentiated immune effectors cells from the hUCB-derived MSCs after cytokine activation were not shown to have increased in number. However, the activated hUCB-derived MSCs secreted more immune response-related proteins (interleukin 4, interferon-gamma) than did the unactivated hUCB-derived MSCs.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The data collected herein confirm for the first time that hUCB-derived MSCs, with or without activation, evidence significant cytotoxicity against human malignant glioma cells, and the immune response-related proteins secreted in this process may perform relevant functions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, The Catholic University of Korea College of Medicine, Uijeongbu St. Mary's Hospital, 65-1, Kumoh-dong, Uijeongbu 480-130, South Korea.
authors.forename: Seok-Gu
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.forename: Sin Soo
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Jeun
authors.forename: Jung Yeon
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Lim
authors.forename: Seong Muk
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Yoon Sun
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Won Il
authors.initials: WI
authors.lastname: Oh
authors.forename: Pil-Woo
authors.initials: PW
authors.lastname: Huh
authors.forename: Chun Kun
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Park
mesh_terms: D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D018920:Coculture Techniques; D003601:Cytotoxicity Tests, Immunologic; D003602:Cytotoxicity, Immunologic / Q000276:immunology*; D005312:Fetal Blood / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology; D053686:Fetal Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology*; D005910:Glioma / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D016178:Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D016219:Immunotherapy, Adoptive; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007375:Interleukin-1 / Q000276:immunology; D019409:Interleukin-15 / Q000276:immunology; D016131:Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology; D059630:Mesenchymal Stem Cells / Q000276:immunology*; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured; D014470:Umbilical Cord
chemical_list: D007375:Interleukin-1; D019409:Interleukin-15; D016178:Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor