Wharton's Jelly Mesenchymal Stem Cells-derived Exosomes and Imipenem in Combination Reduce Apoptosis and Inflammatory Responses in E.coli-infected HepG2 Cells

Antibiotics are used to treat bacterial liver infections and the resulting inflammation. However, their use is limited due to their side effects, especially the development of antibiotic resistance. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are recognized for their immunomodulatory properties. In this study, we investigated the immunomodulatory effect of Wharton's jelly MSC-derived exosomes in combination with imipenem on HepG2 cells infected with Escherichia col i.MSC-derived exosomes were separated from MSCs, which were isolated by flow cytometry. Scanning electron microscopy and dynamic light scanning were used to confirm the presence of exosomes. Quantitative real-time PCR, ELISA, and nitric oxide assay were used to assess the inflammatory response in the infected cells. Annexin-PI was used to measure the extent of apoptosis. The results showed that the combination of imipenem and MSC-derived exosomes were more effective than imipenem or exosomes alone in reducing the production and secretion of inflammatory cytokines, nitric oxide, and apoptotic rate in E Coli-infected HepG2 cells.