Tumor Necrosis Factor-α–Induced Protein-8–like 2 Transfected Adipose-Derived Stem Cells Regulated the Dysfunction of Monocrotaline Pyrrole–Induced Pulmonary Arterial Smooth Muscle Cells and Pulmonary Arterial Endothelial Cells

Abstract: Pulmonary artery hypertension (PAH) is characterized by pulmonary arterial endothelial cells (PAECs) dysfunction and pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells (PASMCs) activation. For decades, the therapies for PAH based on stem cells have been shown to be effective. Meanwhile, Tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α-induced protein-8 (TNFAIP8)-like 2 (TIPE2) promote the viability of human amniotic mesenchymal stem cells. Therefore, we aimed to explore the role of TIPE2 in adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs) and the function of TIPE2 transfected-ADSCs in the regulation of PAH. We first explored the role and underlying molecular mechanism of TIPE2 in ADSCs viability and migration. Moreover, the ADSCs transfected with TIPE2 were co-cultured with monocrotaline pyrrole (MCTP)-stimulated PASMCs or PAECs. The effects and mechanisms of TIPE2-transfected ADSCs on MCTP-induced PASMCs and PAECs were further investigated. The results showed that TIPE2 overexpression promoted ADSCs viability and migration by activating TLR4-ERK1/2 pathway. In addition, TIPE2-transfected ADSCs inhibited the abnormal proliferation and the impaired apoptosis of PASMCs via NF-κB signaling, and promoted the conversion of PASMCs from synthetic to contractile. Meanwhile, TIPE2-transfected ADSCs reduced the apoptosis, endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EndMT) and migration of PAECs via PI3K/AKT signaling after MCTP treatment. MCTP-induced oxidative stress and inflammation of PAECs were significantly decreased by TIPE2-transfected ADSCs. In rat model, TIPE2-ADSCs administration further decreased the MCT-induced increase in the right ventricular systolic pressure (RVSP) and ratio of right ventricle weight (RV)/ left ventricle and septa weight (L+S) and RV/body weight (BW) compared with the ADSCs group. In conclusion, TIPE2-transfected ADSCs dramatically attenuated the PAH via inhibiting the dysfunction of PASMCs and PAECs.