BACKGROUND: Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) may serve as immunoregulators by producing various antiinflammatory molecules. Under sufficient level of TNF-α, MSCs become activated and adopt immune-suppressive
phenotype (MSCs type-2) by releasing various anti-inflammatory molecule including TGF-β and IL-10. However,
the ability of MSC itself to produce IL-10 under TNF-α stimulation and the correlation of TGF-β production of
MSCs to IL-10 level remains to be elucidated.
AIM: In this study, MSCs were activated with various TNF-α doses to determine the increase of IL-10 and TGF-β
level as well as its correlation.
MATERIAL AND METHODS: This study used post-test only control group design, by using 3 study groups,
consist of 1 control (C) and 2 treatments (T) (TNF-α = 5 and 10 ng/mL) with triplicate induced in MSC for 24
hours, then the levels of IL-10 and TGF-β were measured by using ELISA assay.
RESULTS: The results of this study showed a significant increase of TGF-β and IL-10 levels (p < 0.05) at TNF-α
5 and 10 ng/mL dose of TNF-α. Moreover, there was a significant negative correlation between TGF-β and IL-10
level on 5 and 10 ng/mL dose TNF-α treatment.
CONCLUSION: Based on our study, we conclude that the 5 ng/mL dose of TNF-α is a sufficient dose for MSCs to
suppress the inflammatory milieu. The higher increase of TGF beta is due to the controlled inflammation by IL-10.