Human mesenchymal stem cells creating an immunosuppressive environment and promote breast cancer in mice

Ljujic, B.; Milovanovic, M.; Volarevic, V.; Murray, B.; Bugarski, D.; Przyborski, S.; Arsenijevic, N.; Lukic, M.L.; Stojkovic, M.

Abstract

Human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSC) can home to tumor sites and promote tumor growth. The effects of hMSC on tumor growth are controversial and involvement of hMSC in tumor immunology has not been adequately addressed. Therefore, we investigated whether injection of hMSC affects tumor appearance, growth and metastasis, and anti-tumor immunity in an experimental animal model of metastatic breast cancer. Injection of hMSC in BALB/c mice bearing mammary carcinoma promoted tumor growth and metastasis, which was accompanied by lower cytotoxic activity of splenocytes, NK cells and CD8+ T cells in vitro. Tumor-bearing mice that received hMSC had significantly lower percentages of CD3+NKp46+ NKT-like, higher percentages of CD4+Foxp3+ T cells, increased serum levels of Th2 and decreased serum levels of Th1 cytokines, and significantly higher number of CD4+ cells expressing IL-10. These results demonstrate that immunosuppressive environment created by hMSC promoted breast tumor growth and metastasis in mice.

Citation

Ljujic, B., Milovanovic, M., Volarevic, V., Murray, B., Bugarski, D., Przyborski, S., …Stojkovic, M. (2013). Human mesenchymal stem cells creating an immunosuppressive environment and promote breast cancer in mice. Scientific Reports, 3, Article 2298. https://doi.org/10.1038/srep02298

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Jul 5, 2013
• Publication Date: Jul 29, 2013
• Deposit Date: Jun 2, 2014
• Publicly Available Date: Jul 27, 2015
• Journal: Scientific Reports
• Publisher: Nature Research
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 3
• Article Number: 2298
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/srep02298
• Public URL: https://durham-repository.worktribe.com/output/1460996