Stem cells inhibit cigarette smoke extract-induced dendritic cells activation and alleviate chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a common lung disease; however, these is a need for new therapeutic drugs. Herein, we prepared cigarette smoke extract (CSE)-induced dendritic cells (DCs) activation, and investigated the effects of bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) on DCs. We found that BMSCs inhibited CSE induced DCs maturation. In addition, in COPD mice, BMSCs and umbilical cord blood-derived mesenchymal stem cells (UCBSCs) decreased percentage of DCs and macrophages in lungs. Furthermore, BMSCs and UCBSCs inhibited the mRNA level of inflammatory cytokines, such as TNFα, IL-6, IL-1β and iNOS via qRT-PCR. Nr4a family members were upregulated in COPD mice, and BMSC and UCBSC treatment inhibited Nr4a1, Nr4a2 and Nr4a3 expression via qRT-PCR, immunohistochemistry and Western blot. In addition, BMSCs and UCBSCs inhibited inflammation in colon of mice with CODP and regulated the gut microbiota using 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Collectively, our findings reveal that Nr4a family members are involved in the BMSCs-and UCBSCs-amelioration of COPD.