Department of Pediatrics, Chung Shan Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan; School of Medicine, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan; Institute of Medicine, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan.
Division of Pediatric Hematology-Oncology, Children's Hospital, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan; School of Post-baccalaureate Chinese Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan.
J Ethnopharmacol. 2017 Jul 31;207:184-191. doi: 10.1016/j.jep.2017.06.018. Epub 2017 Jun 23.
Astragalus membranaceus is used to manage the deficiency of vital energy in traditional Chinese medicine and confirmed to have many biological functions. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) possess immunosuppressive effects, and are widely used for regenerative medicine and immune disorders.
This study investigated the effects of Astragalus polysaccharides (APS) on umbilical cord-derived MSCs (UCMSCs), including morphology, surface marker expression, proliferation, differentiation, and in-vitro and in-vivo immunosuppressive capacities.
MSCs isolated from umbilical cords were used. PG2 injection, a botanically derived drug containing a mixture of APS, was added into the culture medium to prepare PG2-treated UCMSCs. The morphology, surface marker expression, proliferation, and differentiation of UCMSCs were determined. The in-vitro immunosuppressive effects of UCMSCs were examined by peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) proliferation assay. The in-vivo effects were evaluated by circulatory inflammation-associated cytokine levels in mice with septic peritonitis induced by cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) operation.
Compared with control UCMSCs, UCMSCs had higher population doublings when exposed to PG2-containing medium (P = 0.003). The reduction rates of PBMC proliferation after phytohemagglutinin stimulation increased significantly when UCMSCs were treated with PG2 (P = 0.004). The serum levels of inflammation-associated cytokines, including TNF-α, IL-6, MCP-1, IFN-γ, and IL-1β, were significantly lower at 6h after CLP in the mice receiving PG2-treated UCMSCs.
Our results demonstrated that PG2 can enhance UCMSC proliferation and their in-vitro and in-vivo immunosuppressive effects. Consequently, UCMSCs can be obtained in earlier passages to avoid senescence, and sufficient cells can be acquired faster for clinical use. With stronger immunosuppressive effects, UCMSCs may treat immune disorders more effectively. Further studies are warranted.
黄芪在中医中被用于治疗气虚不足，并被证实具有许多生物功能。间充质干细胞（MSCs）具有免疫抑制作用，广泛用于再生医学和免疫紊乱。
本研究旨在探讨黄芪多糖（APS）对脐带间充质干细胞（UCMSCs）的影响，包括形态、表面标志物表达、增殖、分化以及体外和体内的免疫抑制能力。
使用从脐带中分离的 MSCs。将植物衍生药物 PG2 注射剂（含 APS 混合物）加入培养基中，制备 PG2 处理的 UCMSCs。测定 UCMSCs 的形态、表面标志物表达、增殖和分化。通过外周血单个核细胞（PBMC）增殖试验检测 UCMSCs 的体外免疫抑制作用。通过盲肠结扎穿孔（CLP）手术诱导脓毒症性腹膜炎小鼠的循环炎症相关细胞因子水平评估体内作用。
与对照 UCMSCs 相比，暴露于含 PG2 培养基中的 UCMSCs 具有更高的群体倍增（P = 0.003）。经植物血凝素刺激后 PBMC 增殖的减少率在 UCMSCs 用 PG2 处理时显著增加（P = 0.004）。接受 PG2 处理的 UCMSCs 的小鼠在 CLP 后 6 小时，炎症相关细胞因子（TNF-α、IL-6、MCP-1、IFN-γ和 IL-1β）的血清水平显著降低。
我们的结果表明，PG2 可增强 UCMSC 的增殖及其体外和体内的免疫抑制作用。因此，可以在更早的传代中获得 UCMSCs，以避免衰老，并且可以更快地获得足够的细胞用于临床应用。具有更强的免疫抑制作用，UCMSCs 可能更有效地治疗免疫紊乱。需要进一步研究。
