Effects of human amniotic mesenchymal stromal cells on rabbit T-cell responses in a xenolymphocyte reaction assay.

To evaluate the immunomodulatory properties of human amniotic mesenchymal stromal cells. Human amniotic mesenchymal stromal cells were isolated, characterized by flow cytometry, cultured in vitro, and evaluated in allogeneic and xenogeneic mixed lymphocyte reactions. The proliferation of T cells and the expression of interleukin 2 and interferon gamma by T cells were evaluated in the presence of human amniotic mesenchymal stromal cells. Human amniotic mesenchymal stromal cells were successfully isolated from human amniotic membranes and had well-defined human mesenchymal stem cell markers (CD90, CD73, CD105, and CD166). The human amniotic mesenchymal stromal cells inhibited the proliferation of human and rabbit T cells and the secretion of interleukin-2 and interferon gamma by human T cells. Human amniotic mesenchymal stromal cells may be useful for cell therapy and tissue engineering because of availability, phenotypic plasticity, and immunomodulatory properties.