Objective: To investigate the therapeutic effect of allogenic bone marrow stem cells (BMSCs) transplantation on experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) and the underlying immunoregulatory mechanism.
Methods: EAE models were established by myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG) peptide immunization in C57BL/6J mice; BMSCs were purified and cultured from bone marrow of BALB/c mice, then transplanted to the EAE models. The scores of neurological function defect were assessed before and after BMSCs transplantation. The frequencies of CD4(+);CD25(+);Foxp3(+); T cells (Tregs) in mice lymph organs were measured by flow cytometry and the expressions of IL-2, IL-4, IL-17 and IL-23 mRNA in mouse spleen samples were detected by real-time quantitative RT-PCR after BMSCs transplantation.
Results: Transplantation of allogenic BMSCs improved the clinical score of the EAE mice. Compared with EAE control group, the frequencies of Tregs in spleen, lymph node and thymus of EAE mice transplanted with BMSCs increased significantly, and the levels of IL-2 and IL-17 mRNA significantly decreased, while IL-4 and IL-23 mRNA increased.
Conclusion: Transplantation of allogenic BMSCs can prevent the development of EAE by regulating the frequency of Tregs and the levels of the cytokines secreted by CD4(+);T cells.