Characterization of mesenchymal stem/stromal cells with lymphoid tissue organizer cell potential in tonsils from children

Abstract Lymphoid tissue organizer (LTo) cells, identified in mouse and human embryos, are thought to be precursors of stromal cells in secondary lymphoid organs. Whether LTo cells are present in human adults, however remains unknown. We obtained 15 stromal cell lines from tonsils from children who underwent tonsillectomy, and studied the antigen phenotype of these tonsil stromal cell (TSC) lines by flow cytometry and RT‐PCR. Cell lines met the minimal criteria proposed by the International Society for Cellular Therapy to define human mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (MSCs): plastic‐adherent capacity; expression of CD73, CD90 and CD105, lack of CD45, CD19 and HLA‐DR; and capacity to differentiate into adipocytes, osteoblasts and chondrocytes. Furthermore, our TSC lines exhibited an antigen phenotype and functional characteristics very similar to those seen in murine embryo LTo cells: they expressed chemokines CCL19, CCL21 and CXCL13, cytokines TRANCE and IL‐7, and adhesion molecules ICAM‐1, mucosal addressin cell adhesion molecule (MadCAM)‐1 and VCAM‐1. The expression of LTo cell‐associated markers and functions were upregulated by lymphotoxin (LT)α1β2 and TNF, two cytokines involved in the development and maturation of secondary lymphoid tissues. Our results show that TSCs are tonsil MSCs that differentiate into LTo‐like cells in response to the effects of these cytokines.