Hypoxia-Mediated Molecular Interactions of Tissue-Specific Mesenchymal Stem Cells Drive Metabolic Reprogramming and Immunomodulation in Acute Graft-versus-Host Disease
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Background
Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) mediate immunomodulation through various mechanisms, including apoptosis, efferocytosis, and mitochondrial transfer. Our study investigates the impact of hypoxia preconditioning on the immune metabolic reprogramming and immunomodulatory potential of MSCs in acute graft-versus-host disease (aGVHD). Additionally, we explored the differential immunomodulatory effects of tissue-specific MSCs, specifically bone marrow (BM) and Wharton’s Jelly (WJ), and elucidated the mechanisms underlying variability in their therapeutic efficacy.
Methods
MSCs were isolated from BM and WJ and subjected to hypoxia preconditioning. Their immunometabolic programming potential was assessed by evaluating T-cell proliferation, regulatory T-cell (Treg) induction, effector T-cell differentiation toward Th2, Th9 phenotypes, and macrophage polarization, T-cell bioenergetics in the direct co-culture systems.
Results
WJ-MSCs HYP exhibited superior immunomodulatory properties compared to BM-MSCsHYP, by inhibiting T-cell proliferation, enhancing Treg induction, and promoting anti-inflammatory macrophage polarization. WJ-MSCs HYP demonstrated enhanced mitochondrial transfer to T-cell, improving mitochondrial health, reducing ROS, and promoting oxidative phosphorylation, leading to immune homeostasis. Unlike BM-MSCs, WJ-MSCs exhibited higher rates of apoptosis, which facilitated immune modulation through mechanisms independent of efferocytosis.
Conclusion
Our findings highlight that WJ-MSCs HYP is a superior candidate for aGVHD by utilizing apoptosis, mitochondrial transfer, and metabolic reprogramming to achieve immune regulation.
