Bone Marrow-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells Attenuate Immune-Mediated Liver Injury and Compromise Virus Control During Acute Hepatitis B Virus Infection in Mice.
Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have been used as therapeutic tools not only for their ability to differentiate toward different cells, but also for their unique immunomodulatory properties. However, it is still unknown how MSCs may affect immunity during hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. This study was designed to explore the effect of bone marrow-derived MSCs (BM-MSCs) on hepatic natural killer (NK) cells in a mouse model of acute HBV infection. Mice were injected with 1 × 106BM-MSCs, which stained with chloromethyl derivatives of fluorescein diacetate fluorescent probe, 24 h before hydrodynamic injection of viral DNA (pHBV1.3) through the tail vein. In vivo imaging system revealed that BM-MSCs were accumulated in the injured liver, and they attenuated immune-mediated liver injury during HBV infection, as shown by lower alanine aminotransferase levels, reduced proinflammatory cytokine production, and decreased inflammatory cell infiltration in the liver. Importantly, administration of BM-MSCs restrained the increased expression of natural-killer group 2, member D (NKG2D), an important receptor required for NK cell activation in the liver from HBV-infected mice. BM-MSCs also reduced NKG2D expression on NK cells and suppressed the cytotoxicity of NK cells in vitro. Furthermore, BM-MSC-derived transforming growth factor-β1 suppressed NKG2D expression on NK cells. As a consequence, BM-MSC treatment enhanced HBV gene expression and replication in vivo. These results demonstrate that adoptive transfer of BM-MSCs influences innate immunity and limits immune-mediated liver injury during acute HBV infection by suppressing NK cell activity. Meanwhile, the effect of BM-MSCs on prolonging virus clearance needs to be considered in the future.
1 School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wuhan University , Wuhan, China .
Mengmeng
M
Qu
1 School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wuhan University , Wuhan, China .
Xu
X
Yuan
1 School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wuhan University , Wuhan, China .
Dan
D
Liu
1 School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wuhan University , Wuhan, China .
Yuhong
Y
Ma
1 School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wuhan University , Wuhan, China .
Jun
J
Zhu
1 School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wuhan University , Wuhan, China .
Jun
J
Cui
1 School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wuhan University , Wuhan, China .
Mengxue
M
Yu
1 School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wuhan University , Wuhan, China .
Changyong
C
Li
1 School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wuhan University , Wuhan, China .|2 School of Basic Medical Sciences (Shenzhen), Sun Yat-sen University , Guangzhou, China .
Deyin
D
Guo
D000208:Acute Disease; D000818:Animals; D003602:Cytotoxicity, Immunologic / Q000187:drug effects; D015967:Gene Expression Regulation, Viral / Q000187:drug effects; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000276:immunology* / Q000628:therapy*; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D057446:Hydrodynamics; D007249:Inflammation / Q000473:pathology; D020014:K562 Cells; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000378:metabolism; D008099:Liver / Q000293:injuries* / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology*; D008297:Male; D045164:Mesenchymal Stem Cell Transplantation; D059630:Mesenchymal Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D055655:NK Cell Lectin-Like Receptor Subfamily K / Q000378:metabolism; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1 / Q000494:pharmacology; D014779:Virus Replication / Q000187:drug effects
C527085:KLRK1 protein, human; D055655:NK Cell Lectin-Like Receptor Subfamily K; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1
NKG2D; TGF-β1; bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells; hepatitis B virus; natural killer cells