Placenta Derived Adherent Cells Modulate the Allogenic Mixed Lymphocyte Reaction Partially via an Indoleamine 2,3-Dioxygenase Mediated Mechanism.

Placenta Derived Adherent Cells (PDAC) are multipotent progenitor cells derived from human placental tissues. Previously we have reported that PDACs could suppress T-cell proliferation when added to in-vitro mixed lymphocyte reactions (PDAC-MLR) (Paludan C. et al, Blood. (ASH Annual Meeting Abstracts) 2006 108: Abstract 1737). Here we present aspects of the mechanism of this PDAC suppression property. We have found that PDACs modify cytokine production in the PDAC-MLR reaction in comparison to the MLR; TNF-α and IFN-γ are reduced 75% and 30% while TGF-β production is significantly increased. We have used a transwell assay system to investigate the cell-contact-dependency of the effects of PDACs on T-cell proliferation. The assay system comprised combinations of the MLR in the top chamber together with the PDAC-MLR, PDACs plus naive T cells or PDACs alone in the bottom chamber. Maximum inhibition of T cell proliferation of the MLR in the top insert could be achieved by placing the PDAC-MLR co-culture in the bottom chamber. Minimum suppression was obtained when placing PDACs plus naive T cells or PDACs alone in the bottom chamber. PDAC-MLR conditioned media could partially suppress the MLR reaction. Addition of L-tryptophan into the MLR with PDAC conditioned media completely abolished PDAC-induced suppression of T cell proliferation. Likewise, the addition of the 1-methyl tryptophan to the PDAC-MLR reaction could abolish the PDAC-induced suppression. These results suggested that the suppression of the MLR by PDACs was possibly due to the depletion of the essential amino acid L-tryptophan which could be due to up-regulation of indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO). Quantitative RT-PCR analysis of IDO gene expression revealed that IDO was up-regulated by about 4000-fold when PDACs were co-cultured with activated T cells, but not when co-cultured with naive T cells. Experiments are ongoing to confirm the causative role of IDO, and other factors, in PDAC-suppression of T-cell proliferation. In summary, we believe that soluble factors including the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines may contribute to PDAC suppression of the MLR, that induction of soluble factors from PDACs is significantly augmented by T-cell activation and that IDO expression by PDACs during the PDAC-MLR reaction plays a significant and direct role in suppression of T cell proliferation by PDACs.