Mesenchymal Stem Cells Inhibit Generation and Function of Both CD34+-Derived and Monocyte-Derived Dendritic Cells

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are not only able to evade the immune system, but they have also been demonstrated to exert profound immunosuppressive properties on T cell proliferation. However, their effect on the initiators of the immune response, the dendritic cells (DCs), are relatively unknown. In the present study, the effects of human MSCs on the differentiation and function of both CD34+ -derived DCs and monocyte-derived DCs were investigated. The presence of MSCs during differentiation blocked the differentiation of CD14+CD1a- precursors into dermal/interstitial DCs, without affecting the generation of CD1a+ Langerhans cells. In line with these observations, MSCs also completely prevented the…