【Abstract】〓Objective〓To detect the expression of Toll-like receptors (TLRs) on mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) from ankylosing spondylitis(AS) patients and investigate their effect on immunoregulatory function of AS-MSCs. Methods〓First, flow cytometry was used to determine whether the specific immunophenotype were expressed on the cells cultured from the bone marrow of AS patients. Then, the expression of all TLRs on AS-MSCs was detected by the RT-PCR and the TLR3 and TLR4 were further measured by the qRT-PCR. Finally, after the TLR3 and TLR4 were activated by their specific ligands, ELISA was used to detect the secretion of IL-6. Results〓The AS-MSC expressed CD29, CD44 and CD105, but not CD34, CD45 or HLA-DR. The results from RT-PCR showed that AS-MSC expressed TLR1,TLR2, TLR3, TLR4, TLR5, TLR6 and TLR8 and seldom expressed TLR7, TLR9 or TLR10. In addition, the expression of TLR3 and TLR4 in AS-MSC were respectively reduced to 47.5% and 34.8%, compared to the healthy donors. Ligation of TLR3 and TLR4 can improve the IL-6 secretion of MSCs to 8.3 folds and 13.8 folds respectively in AS patients. Conclusion〓The expression and function of TLR3 and TLR4 were abnormal in MSCs from AS patients,and they may play a key role in the immunoregulatory dysfunction of AS-MSCs.
