The Effects of Immunosuppressive Drugs on the Characteristics and Functional Properties of Bone Marrow-Derived Stem Cells Isolated from Patients with Diabetes Mellitus and Peripheral Arterial Disease

Background: Diabetic patients (DPs) with foot ulcers can receive autologous cell therapy (ACT) as a last therapeutic option. Even DPs who have undergone organ transplantation and are using immunosuppressive (IS) drugs can be treated by ACT. The aim of our study was to analyze the effects of IS drugs on the characteristics of bone marrow-derived stem cells (BM-MSCs). Methods: The cells were isolated from the bone marrow of DPs, cultivated for 14–18 days, and phenotypically characterized using flow cytometry. These precursor cells were cultured in the presence of various IS drugs. The impact of IS drugs on metabolic activity was measured using a WST-1 assay, and the expression of genes for immunoregulatory molecules was detected through RT-PCR. Cell death was analyzed through the use of flow cytometry, and the production of cytokines was determined by ELISA. Results: The mononuclear fraction of cultured cells contained mesenchymal stem cells (CD45(−)CD73(+)CD90(+)CD105(+)), myeloid angiogenic cells (CD45(+)CD146(−)), and endothelial colony-forming cells (CD45(−)CD146(+)). IS drugs inhibited metabolic activity, the expression of genes for immunoregulatory molecules, the production of cytokines, and the viability of the cells. Conclusions: The results indicate that IS drugs in a dose-dependent manner had a negative impact on the properties of BM-MSCs used to treat ischemic diabetic foot ulcers, and that these drugs could affect the therapeutic potential of BM-MSCs.