The Effects of Preconditioning with IFN-γ, IL-4 and IL-10 on Costimulatory Ligand Expressions of Mesenchymal Stem Cells

INTRODUCTION: Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are strong immunomodulatory cells, and co-stimulation may play an important role in increasing the effects of MSCs on adaptive immune cells. Preconditioning may add to the effectiveness of MSCs. The aim of this study was to investigate alterations in the costimulatory ligand expressions of MSCs preconditioned with inflammatory cytokines. METHODS: MSCs were preconditioned with interferon gamma (IFN-γ), interleukin (IL) 4 (IL-4), and IL-10, and changes in CD80, CD86, CD137L, CD252, CD274, CD275, and human leukocyte antigen (HLA) class I and II expressions were analyzed using flow cytometry and quantitative polymerase chain reaction methods. Human acute monocytic leukemia cell line (THP-1) macrophages preconditioned under the same conditions served as a control for comparison. RESULTS: The frequencies of CD80 (p=0.0003), CD86 (p