title: Mesenchymal stromal cells from the foreskin: Tissue isolation, cell characterization and immunobiological properties.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Because of their self-renewal capacity, multilineage potential and immunomodulatory properties, MSCs are an attractive tool for cell-based immunotherapy strategies. Foreskin, considered as a biological waste material, has been shown to be a reservoir of therapeutic cells.
  
  
  METHODS
  MSCs were isolated from different foreskin samples, maintained under in vitro culture and defined according to the International Society for Cellular Therapy (ISCT) criteria. We subsequently determined their main cell characteristics as well as their immunobiological properties. The following parameters were determined: (i) morphology and phenotype, (ii) proliferative and clonogenic potentials, (iii) tri-lineage differentiation ability, (iv) immunological profile, (v) immunomodulatory properties and (vi) protein and messenger RNA expression/secretion profile of immunoregulatory cytokines/factors as well as the pattern of toll-like receptors (TLRs). By using a pro-inflammatory cytokine cocktail, we also evaluated the influence of an inflammatory environment on their biology.
  
  
  RESULTS
  With a typical fibroblast-like morphology and an ISCT-compliant phenotype, foreskin-MSCs (FSK-MSCs) were highly proliferative and had a great clonogenic potential. They displayed multilineage capacities and interesting immunomodulatory properties. Of importance, FSK-MSCs were not immunogenetic and were further able to inhibit T-cell proliferation. We showed that several immunoregulatory cytokines and factors might be potentially involved in FSK-MSC immunomodulation with particular attention to hepatocyte growth factor and interleukin-11. Moreover, FSK-MSCs expressed several TLRs and were sensitive to the inflammatory environment by properly adjusting their profile and fate.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Foreskin represents a new alternative source for MSCs that is compliant with ISCT criteria. Their unique immunobiological properties allow consideration of FSK-MSCs as a valuable tolerogenic product for cell-based immunotherapy.
authors: Laboratory of Clinical Cell Therapy, Institut Jules Bordet, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Campus Erasme, Brussels, Belgium. Electronic address: mnajar@ulb.ac.be.
authors: Mehdi
authors: M
authors: Najar
authors: Laboratory of Clinical Cell Therapy, Institut Jules Bordet, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Campus Erasme, Brussels, Belgium.
authors: Gordana
authors: G
authors: Raicevic
authors: Laboratory of Clinical Cell Therapy, Institut Jules Bordet, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Campus Erasme, Brussels, Belgium.
authors: Thibaud
authors: T
authors: André
authors: Laboratory of Clinical Cell Therapy, Institut Jules Bordet, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Campus Erasme, Brussels, Belgium.
authors: Hussein
authors: H
authors: Fayyad-Kazan
authors: Laboratory of Clinical Cell Therapy, Institut Jules Bordet, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Campus Erasme, Brussels, Belgium.
authors: Karlien
authors: K
authors: Pieters
authors: Laboratory of Clinical Cell Therapy, Institut Jules Bordet, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Campus Erasme, Brussels, Belgium.
authors: Dominique
authors: D
authors: Bron
authors: Laboratory of Clinical Cell Therapy, Institut Jules Bordet, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Campus Erasme, Brussels, Belgium.
authors: Michel
authors: M
authors: Toungouz
authors: Laboratory of Clinical Cell Therapy, Institut Jules Bordet, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Campus Erasme, Brussels, Belgium.
authors: Laurence
authors: L
authors: Lagneaux
mesh_terms: D018929:Cell Culture Techniques / Q000379:methods; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000502:physiology; D002469:Cell Separation / Q000379:methods*; D064987:Cell- and Tissue-Based Therapy / Q000379:methods; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D052816:Foreskin / Q000166:cytology*; D017228:Hepatocyte Growth Factor / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D056747:Immunomodulation / Q000502:physiology*; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D017370:Interleukin-11 / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D059630:Mesenchymal Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: C066855:HGF protein, human; C508611:IL11 protein, human; D017370:Interleukin-11; D017228:Hepatocyte Growth Factor
keywords: MSCs; cell characterization; foreskin; immunobiological properties; immunomodulation; tissue isolation