TY - JOUR
T1 - Mesenchymal stem cells relieve fibrosis of Schistosoma japonicum-induced mouse liver injury
AU - Xu, Huijuan
AU - Qian, Hui
AU - Zhu, Wei
AU - Zhang, Xu
AU - Yan, Yongmin
AU - Mao, Fei
AU - Wang, Mei
AU - Xu, Huitao
AU - Xu, Wenrong
N1 - Funding Information:
This work was supported by the Major Research Plan of the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 91129718), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos 81071421, 81000181, 31140063), Foundation of the Jiangsu Province for transfer of scientific and technological achievements (Grant No. BA2009124), Jiangsu Province's Scientific and Technological Supporting Program (Grant No. BE2010703), Jiangsu Province Doctoral Innovation Fund (Grant No. CX10B_281Z), the Natural Science Foundation of the Jiangsu Province for high schools (Grant No. 09KJB320001), and the Sci-tech Innovation Team and Talents of Jiangsu University (Grant No. 2008–018–02).
PY - 2012/5
Y1 - 2012/5
N2 - Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have gained popularity for their potential as seed cells to treat various human diseases, including pathogenic infections. Schistosoma japonicum (S. japonicum) infection is characterized by formation of parasite egg granulomas and host liver fibrosis. MSCs have been proposed as useful treatments of S. japonicum infection, but the efficacy and underlying mechanisms remain unknown. Herein, we report that MSCs were able to ameliorate S. japonicuminduced liver injury in vivo and this effect was enhanced by combining MSCs with conventional drug praziquantel (PZQ). Kunming strains of mice were infected with S. japonicum and treated with vehicle, MSCs, PZQ or PZQ {thorn} MSCs. MSC treatment not only prolonged the survival time of infected mice but reduced egg granuloma diameter and decreased the concentrations of serum transforming growth factor-β1 and hyaluronic acid. MSC treatment also inhibited collagen deposition and reduced the expression of collagen type 3, α -smooth muscle actin and vimentin in infected mouse liver tissues. Collectively, our findings suggest that MSC treatment represents a novel therapeutic approach for S. japonicum induced liver injury and fibrosis.
AB - Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have gained popularity for their potential as seed cells to treat various human diseases, including pathogenic infections. Schistosoma japonicum (S. japonicum) infection is characterized by formation of parasite egg granulomas and host liver fibrosis. MSCs have been proposed as useful treatments of S. japonicum infection, but the efficacy and underlying mechanisms remain unknown. Herein, we report that MSCs were able to ameliorate S. japonicuminduced liver injury in vivo and this effect was enhanced by combining MSCs with conventional drug praziquantel (PZQ). Kunming strains of mice were infected with S. japonicum and treated with vehicle, MSCs, PZQ or PZQ {thorn} MSCs. MSC treatment not only prolonged the survival time of infected mice but reduced egg granuloma diameter and decreased the concentrations of serum transforming growth factor-β1 and hyaluronic acid. MSC treatment also inhibited collagen deposition and reduced the expression of collagen type 3, α -smooth muscle actin and vimentin in infected mouse liver tissues. Collectively, our findings suggest that MSC treatment represents a novel therapeutic approach for S. japonicum induced liver injury and fibrosis.
KW - Fibrosis
KW - Mesenchymal stem cell
KW - Praziquantel
KW - Schistosoma japonicum
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U2 - 10.1258/ebm.2012.011362
DO - 10.1258/ebm.2012.011362
M3 - Article
C2 - 22678013
AN - SCOPUS:84862004698
SN - 1535-3702
VL - 237
SP - 585
EP - 592
JO - Experimental Biology and Medicine
JF - Experimental Biology and Medicine
IS - 5
ER -