Effect of Interferon- on Expression of CD39 and CD73 Genes in the Human Wharton's Jelly Mesenchymal Stem Cells

Mesenchymal stem cells have been known as hypo-immunogenic and immunosuppressive cells. Exposure of mesenchymal stem cells to interferon γ (IFN-γ) may influence their immunomodulatory properties. In the present study, the expression level of adenosine producing CD39 and CD73 ectonucleotides as an immunosuppressant were evaluated in Wharton’s Jelly- derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells (WJ-MSCs) in the presence and absence of IFN-g.
In this experimental study, MSCs were isolated, cultured, and propagated from Wharton's jelly obtained from human umbilical cord. The phenotypic characterization of these cells was performed via analysis of their surface markers using flow cytometry. Then, the cultured mesenchymal stem cells were treated with IFN-g. After 24 hours, the expression levels of CD39 and CD73 genes were analyzed using qPCR in control and IFN-g-treated cells.
Flow cytometric analysis of stem cells revealed morphological similarity to fibroblastic cells and expression of CD105 and CD73 markers in these cells. The results of qPCR showed that the expression level of CD39 was significantly increased in IFN-g-treated cells compared to non-treated cells, while there was no significant difference in CD73 expression level between control and IFN-g - treated cells.
The results indicated the possible role of IFN-g in development of the immunoregulatory capacity of mesenchymal stem cells through expression of target genes. However this should be studied precisely.