No significant effects of Poly(I:C) on human umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cells in the treatment of B6.MRL-Fas(lpr) mice.
Our study aimed to compare the curative effect and immunoregulation between MSCs activated by Poly(I:C) for 24hours and unactivated MSCs on lupus mice.



MSCs were pretreated by Poly(I:C) at 50μg/mL for 24h. B6.MRL-Fas(lpr) mice were divided into UC-MSC treated group, FLS treated group, Poly(I:C) preconditioned MSC treated group (P-MSC) and untreated group randomly. All treated mice were infused with 1×10(6) MSCs or FLSs at the 24th week and were sacrificed 4 weeks later. The spleen weight, serum immunoglobulin G (IgG) levels, serum anti-double stranded DNA (anti-dsDNA) antibody levels, immune cell subsets, renal lesions and IgG deposition in the kidney were evaluated. The effects of two kinds of MSCs on the proliferation and apoptosis of CD4+ T cells were detected by flow cytometry. The TLR3 expression at protein level in MSCs was assessed with and without Poly(I:C) treatment. The expression of immunoregulatory factors were detected by qRT-PCR in different dose and duration of Poly(I:C).



Poly(I:C) preconditioned MSCs had similar therapeutic effects in lupus mice compared with untreated MSCs in vivo. Furthermore, Poly(I:C) treated MSCs and untreated MSCs had comparable inhibitory effects on proliferation of T cells, and Poly(I:C) could enhance the expression of TLR3 at protein and mRNA level. Poly(I:C) could partly alter the mRNA levels of immunoregulatory factors, such as hepatocyte growth factor, transforming growth factor β1, vascular endothelial growth factor, but did not have significant changes in cyclooxygenase 2, interleukin 6, tumor necrosis factor α, indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase, interferon γ and chemokine (C-C motif) ligand 2.



Our study did not find that Poly(I:C) treatment could enhance the therapeutic effect of MSCs in lupus mice in vivo.
The Affiliated Drum Tower Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, 321, Zhongshan Road, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210008, China.
S
S
Huang
The Affiliated Drum Tower Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, 321, Zhongshan Road, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210008, China.
D
D
Wang
The Affiliated Drum Tower Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, 321, Zhongshan Road, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210008, China.
F
F
Gu
The Affiliated Drum Tower Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, 321, Zhongshan Road, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210008, China.
Z
Z
Zhang
The Affiliated Drum Tower Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, 321, Zhongshan Road, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210008, China.
W
W
Deng
The Affiliated Drum Tower Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, 321, Zhongshan Road, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210008, China.
W
W
Chen
The Affiliated Drum Tower Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, 321, Zhongshan Road, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210008, China.
X
X
Tang
The Affiliated Drum Tower Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, 321, Zhongshan Road, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210008, China.
G
G
Yao
The Affiliated Drum Tower Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, 321, Zhongshan Road, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210008, China.
X
X
Feng
The Affiliated Drum Tower Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, 321, Zhongshan Road, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210008, China. Electronic address: lingyunsun@nju.edu.cn.
L
L
Sun
D000818:Animals; D000974:Antibodies, Antinuclear / Q000032:analysis; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004353:Drug Evaluation, Preclinical; D005260:Female; D064593:Heterografts; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000032:analysis; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D007668:Kidney / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D045164:Mesenchymal Stem Cell Transplantation; D059630:Mesenchymal Stem Cells / Q000187:drug effects*; D051379:Mice; D019463:Mice, Inbred MRL lpr; D011070:Poly I-C / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis; D011897:Random Allocation; D013154:Spleen / Q000473:pathology; D051196:Toll-Like Receptor 3 / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D014470:Umbilical Cord / Q000166:cytology*
D000974:Antibodies, Antinuclear; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; C519703:TLR3 protein, mouse; D051196:Toll-Like Receptor 3; D011070:Poly I-C
Lupus; Mesenchymal stem cells; Poly-inosinic acid:cytidylic acid; Toll-like receptor 3