ResearchIn-Press PreviewInflammationNeuroscience
Open Access | 10.1172/jci.insight.181885
1Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital Clinical College of Nanjing Medical University, State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine and Offspring Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
2Department of Gynecology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
3Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, The Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing, China
4School of Pharmacy, Macau University of Science and Technology, Macau, China
5Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital Clinical College of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
6State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine and Offspring Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
Find articles by Xiaojuan, H. in: JCI | PubMed | Google Scholar
1Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital Clinical College of Nanjing Medical University, State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine and Offspring Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
2Department of Gynecology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
3Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, The Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing, China
4School of Pharmacy, Macau University of Science and Technology, Macau, China
5Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital Clinical College of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
6State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine and Offspring Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
Find articles by Wang, D. in: JCI | PubMed | Google Scholar
1Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital Clinical College of Nanjing Medical University, State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine and Offspring Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
2Department of Gynecology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
3Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, The Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing, China
4School of Pharmacy, Macau University of Science and Technology, Macau, China
5Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital Clinical College of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
6State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine and Offspring Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
Find articles by Chen, L. in: JCI | PubMed | Google Scholar
1Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital Clinical College of Nanjing Medical University, State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine and Offspring Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
2Department of Gynecology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
3Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, The Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing, China
4School of Pharmacy, Macau University of Science and Technology, Macau, China
5Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital Clinical College of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
6State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine and Offspring Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
Find articles by Song, H. in: JCI | PubMed | Google Scholar
1Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital Clinical College of Nanjing Medical University, State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine and Offspring Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
2Department of Gynecology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
3Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, The Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing, China
4School of Pharmacy, Macau University of Science and Technology, Macau, China
5Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital Clinical College of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
6State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine and Offspring Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
Find articles by Zheng, X. in: JCI | PubMed | Google Scholar
1Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital Clinical College of Nanjing Medical University, State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine and Offspring Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
2Department of Gynecology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
3Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, The Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing, China
4School of Pharmacy, Macau University of Science and Technology, Macau, China
5Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital Clinical College of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
6State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine and Offspring Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
Find articles by Zhang, X. in: JCI | PubMed | Google Scholar
1Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital Clinical College of Nanjing Medical University, State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine and Offspring Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
2Department of Gynecology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
3Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, The Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing, China
4School of Pharmacy, Macau University of Science and Technology, Macau, China
5Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital Clinical College of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
6State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine and Offspring Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
Find articles by Zhao, S. in: JCI | PubMed | Google Scholar
1Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital Clinical College of Nanjing Medical University, State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine and Offspring Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
2Department of Gynecology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
3Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, The Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing, China
4School of Pharmacy, Macau University of Science and Technology, Macau, China
5Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital Clinical College of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
6State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine and Offspring Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
Find articles by Liang, J. in: JCI | PubMed | Google Scholar
1Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital Clinical College of Nanjing Medical University, State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine and Offspring Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
2Department of Gynecology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
3Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, The Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing, China
4School of Pharmacy, Macau University of Science and Technology, Macau, China
5Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital Clinical College of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
6State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine and Offspring Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
Find articles by Xu, T. in: JCI | PubMed | Google Scholar
1Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital Clinical College of Nanjing Medical University, State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine and Offspring Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
2Department of Gynecology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
3Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, The Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing, China
4School of Pharmacy, Macau University of Science and Technology, Macau, China
5Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital Clinical College of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
6State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine and Offspring Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
Find articles by Hu, Z. in: JCI | PubMed | Google Scholar
1Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital Clinical College of Nanjing Medical University, State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine and Offspring Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
2Department of Gynecology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
3Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, The Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing, China
4School of Pharmacy, Macau University of Science and Technology, Macau, China
5Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital Clinical College of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
6State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine and Offspring Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
Find articles by Sun, L. in: JCI | PubMed | Google Scholar
Published March 6, 2025 - More info
Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), an autoimmune disease, can cause psychiatric disorders, particularly depression, via immune activation. Human umbilical cord mesenchymal stromal cell (hUCMSC) transplantation (MSCT) has been shown to ameliorate immune dysfunction in SLE by inducing immune tolerance. However, whether MSCT can relieve the depressive symptoms in SLE remains incompletely understood. Here, we demonstrate that MSCT relieved early-onset depression-like behavior in both genetic lupus-prone (MRL/lpr) and pristane-induced lupus mice by rescuing impaired hippocampal synaptic connectivity. Transplanted hUCMSCs targeted Th1 cell-derived IFNγ to inhibit neuronal JAK-STAT1 signaling and downstream CCL8 expression, reducing phagocytic microglia apposition to alleviate synaptic engulfment and neurological dysfunction in young (8-week-old) lupus mice. Systemic delivery of exogenous IFNγ blunted MSCT-mediated alleviation of synaptic loss and depressive behavior in lupus mice, suggesting that the IFNγ-CCL8 axis may be an effective therapeutic target and that MSCT is a potential therapy for lupus-related depression. In summary, transplanted hUCMSCs can target systemic immunity to ameliorate psychiatric disorders by rescuing synaptic loss, highlighting the active role of neurons as intermediaries between systemic immunity and microglia in this process.