Therapeutic effects of Wharton jelly-derived mesenchymal stem cells on rat abortion models.

AIM: The aim of this study was to investigate the therapeutic effects and mechanism of Wharton jelly-derived mesenchymal stem cells (WJ-MSC) in a spontaneous-abortion rat model.

METHODS: An abortion model was established using intravenous injection of bromocriptine. WJ-MSC were isolated and cultured from Wharton jelly of the human umbilical cord. The pathologic changes of placenta decidual tissues were observed after hematoxylin-eosin staining. The embryo absorption rate was counted. The protein and mRNA levels of interleukin (IL)-10, interferon (IFN)-γ and IL-17 in each group were tested by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, Western blot and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction.

RESULTS: After bromocriptine injection, decidual cells degenerated and the connections between them loosened. Furthermore, some of the decidual cells were necrotic and the nuclei had disappeared. However, the transplantation of a large population of WJ-MSC prevented these damages from occurring. The changes of levels of IL-10, IFN-γ and IL-17 in serum and placenta decidual tissues induced by bromocriptine were well restored by a high, but not a low, dose of WJ-MSC engraft.

CONCLUSION: WJ-MSC can ameliorate early pregnancy loss. The mechanism may be related to its upregulation of IL-10 and downregulation of IFN-γ and IL-17.