Regenerative Therapy (Dec 2021)

Characterization of adipose tissue-derived stromal cells of mice with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease and their use for liver repair

  • Masaaki Yano,
  • Alessandro Nasti,
  • Akihiro Seki,
  • Kosuke Ishida,
  • Masatoshi Yamato,
  • Hiiro Inui,
  • Norihiko Ogawa,
  • Shingo Inagaki,
  • Tuyen Thuy Bich Ho,
  • Kazunori Kawaguchi,
  • Taro Yamashita,
  • Kuniaki Arai,
  • Tatsuya Yamashita,
  • Eishiro Mizukoshi,
  • Oto Inoue,
  • Shinichiro Takashima,
  • Soichiro Usui,
  • Masayuki Takamura,
  • Masao Honda,
  • Takashi Wada,
  • Shuichi Kaneko,
  • Yoshio Sakai

Journal volume & issue
Vol. 18
pp. 497 – 507

Abstract

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Introduction: Freshly isolated uncultured adipose tissue-derived stromal cells (u-ADSCs), containing miscellaneous cells like the relatively abundant mesenchymal stem cells, are attractive for repair and regenerative therapy. However, the detailed characteristics and therapeutic efficacy of u-ADSCs obtained from disease-affected hosts are unknown. We compared the properties of u-ADSCs obtained from wild-type mice and from a mouse model of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). Methods: The NASH model was established by feeding C57BL/6J mice an atherogenic high-fat diet for 4 (NASH (4w)) or 12 weeks (NASH (12w)), followed by the isolation and characterization of u-ADSCs. Wild-type u-ADSCs or NASH-derived u-ADSCs were administered to mice with NASH cirrhosis, followed by analyses of hepatic inflammatory cells, antigen profiles, fibrosis, and gene expression. Results: Wild-type u-ADSCs and NASH-derived u-ADSCs did not show marked differences in surface antigen profiles. In NASH (4w) u-ADSCs, but not NASH (12w) u-ADSCs, the frequencies of the leukocyte markers CD11b, CD45, and CD44 were elevated; furthermore, we observed an increase in the M1/M2 macrophage ratio only in NASH (12w) u-ADSCs. Only in NASH-4w u-ADSCs, the expression levels cell cycle-related genes were higher than those in u-ADSCs. Wild-type u-ADSCs administered to mice with NASH-related cirrhosis decreased the infiltration of CD11b+, F4/80+, and Gr-1+ inflammatory cells, ameliorated fibrosis, and had a restorative effect on liver tissues, as determined by gene expression profiles and the NAFLD activity score. The therapeutic effects of NASH (4w) u-ADSCs and NASH (12w) u-ADSCs on NASH-related cirrhosis were highly similar to the effect of wild-type u-ADSCs, including reductions in inflammation and fibrosis. Conclusions: NASH-derived u-ADSCs, similar to wild-type u-ADSCs, are applicable for reparative and regenerative therapy in mice with NASH.

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