Immunoregulatory effect of mouse fetal neural cells on the graft-versus-host disease

Abstract

The problem of the treatment of acute and chronic graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), when histoincompatible bone marrow (BM) is used, remains unsolved. An important role in controlling the development of GVHD is played by Treg immunity.The purpose of the study is to evaluate the immunoregulatory effect of native and cryopreserved murine fetal neural cells (FNCs) relative to Treg immunity of mice with GVHD.Materials and methods. Acute GVHD was induced by the injection of histoincompatible BM to lethally irradiated mice. On the 14th day after GVHD induction and transplantation of native or cryopreserved FNCs in animals of all experimental groups, the spleen index, the content of T-regulatory (FOXP3+) cells and the number of foxp3 gene transcripts in the СD4+splenocytes were determined.Results. The recipients of the histoincompatible BM had a decrease in the content of T-reg cells and the level of foxp3 gene expression in the splenocyte population relative to the syngeneic control. Injection of native or cryopreserved FNCs to animals with GVHD caused an increase in the number of T-reg cells. Cryopreserved FNCs are more than native ones enhancing both the relative number of T-reg cells and the level of foxp3 gene expression in the splenocytes, which was characterized by a higher recipients’ survival up to the 16th day of observation.Conclusion. The transplantation of fetal neural cells to recipients with GVHD stimulates the Treg immunity, which is a key to the development of immune conflict. This confirms the possibility of using fetal neural cells as a therapeutic immuno-regulatory agent.