Research paperThe effect of transplanted human Wharton's jelly mesenchymal stem cells treated with IFN-γ on experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis mice

•We evaluated the therapeutic effects of IFN-γ primed WJ-MSCs in EAE mice.•We studied cell infiltration and gene expression of inflammatory cytokines in brain of mice.•Leukocyte infiltration and symptoms were significantly reduced in IFN-γ primed WJ-MSCs treatment.•IFN-γ primed WJ-MSCs reduced proliferation and increased Treg cells as well as decreased secretion and gene expression of inflammatory cytokines in EAE mice.

Interferon gamma (IFN-γ) increases the immunosuppressive property of human Wharton's jelly mesenchymal stem cells (hWJ-MSCs). In this study, we evaluated the therapeutic effects of IFN-γ primed WJ-MSCs in EAE mice. IFN-γ primed WJ-MSCs were injected on days 3 and 11 after EAE induction. 21 days after EAE induction, splenocytes and cervical lymph node cells were isolated and cell proliferation, secretion of inflammatory cytokines and frequency of regulatory T-cells was measured. On day 50 of the study, cell infiltration and gene expression of inflammatory cytokines in brain of mice were studied. Leukocyte infiltration and symptoms were significantly reduced in IFN-γ primed WJ-MSCs treated group compared to other groups. These cells showed significantly reduced proliferation and increased Treg cells as well as decreased secretion and gene expression of inflammatory cytokines in EAE mice. Our data suggest that IFN-γ may be used to stimulate the immunomodulatory property of WJ-MSCs in clinical situations.