Autoimmunity
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Adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (ASCs) have immunoregulatory properties, but their activity is dependent on signals provided by the local microenvironment. It is likely that highly inflammatory milieu of rheumatoid joint affects ASCs activity. To test this hypothesis, the function of rheumatoid ASCs derived from articular adipose tissue (AT-ASCs) and ASCs derived from subcutaneous adipose tissue (Sc-ASCs) has been analysed. ⋯ Interestingly, both AT-ASCs and Sc-ASCs cause increase of IL-17A secretion by activated PBMCs as well as induce up-regulation of IL-6 concentration in co-culture supernatants. We demonstrated that AT-ASCs and Sc-ASCs obtained from RA patients possess similar immunomodulatory properties despite different localization and distinct cytokine milieu of tissue of origin. Our results indicate that ASCs derived from rheumatoid adipose tissues are not strongly immunosuppressive in vitro and that they may contribute to the pathogenesis of RA due to IL-17A secretion enhancement.