Influence of exposure to microbial ligands, immunosuppressive drugs and chronic kidney disease on endogenous immunomodulatory gene expression in feline adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells.

Objectives: Feline autologous mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) show promise for immunomodulatory activity, but the functional impact of chronic kidney disease (CKD), concurrent immunosuppressive drug administration or infection is unknown. The study objectives compare endogenous cytokine gene expression (interleukin [IL]-6, IL-10, IL-12p40, IL-18 and transforming growth factor beta [TGF-β]) in adipose-derived MSCs (aMSCs) from cats with and without CKD, following in vitro exposure to microbial ligands and treatment with common immunosuppressive drugs.

Methods: Previously obtained aMSCs, phenotype CD44, CD90, CD105 and MHCII, from cats with (n = 6) and without (n = 6) CKD were compared via real-time PCR (RT-PCR) for immunomodulatory gene expression.