Impact of platelet lysate on immunoregulatory characteristics of equine mesenchymal stromal cells.
Authors: Moellerberndt Julia, Niebert Sabine, Fey Kerstin, Hagen Alina, Burk Janina
Journal: Frontiers in veterinary science
Summary
# Editorial Summary: Platelet Lysate and Equine Mesenchymal Stromal Cell Function Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) are increasingly used therapeutically to manage immune-mediated and inflammatory conditions in horses, working primarily through direct cell contact and secretion of anti-inflammatory molecules. A 2024 study by Moellerberndt and colleagues investigated whether platelet lysate (PL)—a serum-free culture medium containing multiple immunomodulatory cytokines—could enhance the immunoregulatory properties of equine MSCs compared to traditional fetal bovine serum (FBS) supplementation. The researchers cultured MSCs alone, activated peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), and co-cultures of both under different conditions, measuring cytokine levels and tracking the expression of key immunoregulatory genes (COX2, TNFAIP6, IDO1, VCAM1, CXCR4, MHC2 and HIF1A) alongside PBMC proliferation rates. Stimulation with PL upregulated five of these genes (COX2, TNFAIP6, VCAM1, CXCR4 and HIF1A), whilst co-culture with PBMCs produced a different but overlapping gene expression profile, and MSCs consistently suppressed PBMC proliferation across all culture conditions, with the strongest effect in IL-10 and IFN-γ supplemented FBS media. These findings suggest PL-cultured MSCs maintain or enhance their immunoregulatory capacity, indicating that PL supplementation may offer a viable alternative to FBS for expanding MSCs prior to clinical application in immune-mediated conditions, though further functional studies are needed to determine optimal
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Practical Takeaways
- •PL-supplemented media may be used to culture MSCs for therapeutic application with maintained or enhanced immunoregulatory capacity, offering a practical alternative to FBS
- •MSCs consistently suppress immune cell proliferation across different culture conditions, supporting their therapeutic potential in inflammatory diseases
- •Further in vivo studies are needed to confirm whether PL-cultured MSCs translate these in vitro immunoregulatory benefits to clinical efficacy in equine patients
Key Findings
- •Platelet lysate (PL) supports mesenchymal stromal cell (MSC) immunoregulatory gene expression, upregulating COX2, TNFAIP6, VCAM1, CXCR4, and HIF1A
- •MSC cultured in PL demonstrated altered immunoregulatory characteristics comparable to FBS-supplemented media
- •MSC decreased peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) proliferation across all culture conditions, with strongest suppression in IL-10 and IFN-γ supplemented media
- •Platelet lysate represents a viable alternative to fetal bovine serum for MSC culture while maintaining functional immunoregulatory properties