Umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cells promote myeloid-derived suppressor cell enrichment by secreting CXCL1 to prevent graft-versus-host disease after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation

Background aims: Human mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) from various tissues have emerged as attractive candidates for the prevention and treatment of graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). However, the molecular machinery that defines and channels the behavior of these cells remains poorly understood. Methods: In this study, the authors compared the efficacy of four tissue-derived MSC types in controlling GVHD in a murine model and investigated their immunomodulatory effects. Results: Human umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hUCMSCs) effectively decreased the incidence and severity of GVHD, which was mediated by the enrichment of myeloid-derived suppressor cells in GVHD target tissues. RNA sequencing results showed that hUCMSCs highly expressed CXCL1. Conclusions: These results suggest a novel prophylactic application of hUCMSCs for controlling GVHD after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.