Immunomodulatory properties of mesenchymal stem cells from patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and healthy donors

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) possess a multilineage differentiation potential and have the ability to regulate reactivity of the immune system. They are usually isolated and expanded from the bone marrow, adipose tissue or umbilical cord. MSC represent promising cell population for the treatment of some severe diseases, such as amyotrofic lateral sclerosis (ALS), due to the combination of regenerative and immunomodulatory properties. The aim of this study is to compare MSC from ALS patients and healthy donors in their phenotype, proliferative activity and mainly their immunomodulatory properties. The assessment of impact of the disease on the properties of MSC is important for their autologous use in clinical trials. In this study we used MSC isolated from bone marrow of 14 ALS patients and 15 patients undergoing mostly orthopedic surgery as control group. We also used MSC stimulated for 24 hours by poinflammatory cytokines. Cells were compared in terms of immunophenotype, differentiation in adipocytes and osteoblasts, metabolic activity, expression of selected genes for immunomodulatory molecules and for inhibition of lymphocyte proliferation. Further experiments were focused on evaluation of immunomodulatory properties of MSC. The effect of MSC on peripheral blood mononuclear cells stimulated..