High-Throughput Transcriptome Profiling Of Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells Reveals A Role For Wnt/GSK-3 Signaling In Their Hypoimmunomodulation

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are gaining importance among clinicians following recent demonstration of safe allogeneic transplantation due to their ability to modulate the immune response. However,the molecular machinery regulating the expression of immunomodulatory factors in MSCs is unknown. We, therefore, inhibited glycogen synthase kinase-3 (GSK-3),a Wnt signaling inhibitor, to elucidate the role of Wnt signaling in mediating immunoregulatory effects of human MSCs using gene expression profiling. Our results highlight enhanced ability of GSK-3 inhibitor (lithium) treated MSCs to evade immune response as a result of decreased expression of immune stimulatory cytokines and chemokines.