Research progress of molecular mechanism of mesenchymal stems cell-mediated immunosuppression to CD4+ T lymphocytes

CD4+ T lymphocyte play a critical role in cellular immune response. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) exert a negative influence on the immune balance by directly inhibiting the activation and proliferation of CD4+ T lymphocyte. The molecular mechanisms of MSC-mediated immunomodulatory action involve direct cell-cell contact, CD4+ T lymphocyte induction of cell cycle arrest, prostaglandin (PG) E2 and galectins, increasing the level of adenosine, activation of T lymphocytes nuclear factor (NF) -κB, and the regulation of helper T cell subtypes. Further research of the molecular mechanisms of MSC-mediated immunosuppression to CD4+ T lymphocyte could have important clinical value for further exploration on cellular immunotherapy protocol derived from various sources of MSC. Key words: Mesenchymal stem cells; CD4 positive T-lymphocytes; Immunosuppression; Molecular mechanism