Staphylococcus aureus infection of intestinal epithelial cells induces human umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cell migration

There is a growing interest in umbilical cord blood (UCB)-derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) for cellular therapy in regenerative medicine. To aid in tissue repair, MSCs are recruited to sites of inflammation induced by a bacterial infection. The primary objective of this study was to explore the mechanisms of MSC recruitment to intestinal epithelial cells infected with Staphylococcus aureus. First, we isolated and characterized the UCB-derived MSCs used in our experiments. Next, we determined the ability of S. aureus infected intestinal epithelial cells to induce migration of UCB-derived MSCs. Expression analysis of cytokines secreted by infected epithelial cells indicated that MSC migration occurred predominately via a nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB)-dependent signaling pathway. Altogether, our data provide the first evidence for a role of S. aureus infection in MSC migration and reveal the function of UCB-derived MSCs in intestinal pathophysiology.

► We explored the mechanisms of MSC recruitment during epithelial cells infected.
► NF-κB signal pathway promotes MSC recruitment via activation of TNF-α signaling.
► Modulation of TNF-α expression in MSCs would be a powerful tool in cell therapy.