EXPRESSION OF INDOLEAMINE 2 3-DIOXYGENASE IN ENDOMETRIAL MESENCHYMAL STEM CELLS TREATED WITH GAMMA INTERFERON

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), also known as mesenchymal stromal cells, are considered as an important source of adult stem cells in tissue engineering and cell therapy. They are present in various tissues such as, endometrium as the supportive cells. According to anatomical position of endometrial mesenchymal stem cells that put them in neighborhood of the fetus, they may have a significant role in fetus tolerance during pregnancy. This study was conducted to evaluate the molecular mechanism of immunosuppressive affect of endometrial mesenchymal stem cells. Mesenchymal Cells from bone marrow and endometrium were cultured at density of 2 ×105 cells/ml at presence of 100IU/ml and 500IU/ml INF-γ (IFN-gamma) and expression of indoleamine 2 3-dioxygenase (IDO) were studied after 72 hours by real-time PCR and immunocytochemistry. The study showed that IDO expression in cells exposed to IFN-γ was increased compared to the cells in the absence of IFN-γ (p<0.05). Additionally, up regulation of IDO expression was higher in endometrial cells than bone marrow cells. From these results it is concluded that endometrial mesenchymal stem cells may be used as a good candidate for cell therapy.