Endogenous Follistatin-like 1 guarantees the immunomodulatory properties of mesenchymal stem cells during liver fibrotic therapy

BACKGROUND: Mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) therapy has been shown to be a promising option for liver fibrosis treatment. However, critical factors affecting the efficacy of MSC therapy for liver fibrosis remain unknown. Follistatin-like 1 (FSTL1), a TGF-β-induced matricellular protein, is documented as an intrinsic regulator of proliferation and differentiation in MSCs. In the present study, we characterized the potential role of FSTL1 in MSC-based anti-fibrotic therapy and further elucidated the mechanisms underlying its action. METHODS: Human umbilical cord-derived MSCs were characterized by flow cytometry. FSTL1(low) MSCs were achieved by FSTL1 siRNA. Migration capacity was evaluated by wound-healing and transwell assay. A murine liver fibrotic model was created by carbon tetrachloride (CCl(4)) injection, while control MSCs or FSTL1(low) MSC were transplanted via intravenous injection 12 weeks post CCl(4) injection. Histopathology, liver function, fibrosis degree, and inflammation were analysed thereafter. Inflammatory cell infiltration was evaluated by flow cytometry after hepatic nonparenchymal cell isolation. An MSC-macrophage co-culture system was constructed to further confirm the role of FSTL1 in the immunosuppressive capacity of MSCs. RNA sequencing was used to screen target genes of FSTL1. RESULTS: FSTL1(low) MSCs had comparable gene expression for surface markers to wildtype but limited differentiation and migration capacity. FSTL1(low) MSCs failed to alleviate CCl(4)-induced hepatic fibrosis in a mouse model. Our data indicated that FSTL1 is essential for the immunosuppressive action of MSCs on inflammatory macrophages during liver fibrotic therapy. FSTL1 silencing attenuated this capacity by inhibiting the downstream JAK/STAT1/IDO pathway. CONCLUSIONS: Our data suggest that FSTL1 facilitates the immunosuppression of MSCs on macrophages and that guarantee the anti-fibrotic effect of MSCs in liver fibrosis. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13287-022-03042-4.