Ashritha Yellanki
BME MS Thesis Defense Presentation
Date: 2026-04-06
Time: 1PM
Location / Meeting Link: Price Gilbert 4222

Committee Members:
Ahmet Coskun; Felipe Quiroz; Johnna Temenoff, 


Title: Mitochondrial and Immunomodulatory Gene Signatures of Mesenchymal Stem Cells Relevant for Understanding Sjögren’s Syndrome

Abstract:
Primary Sjogren’s Syndrome (pSS) is an autoimmune disease that degrades the body’s salivary and lacrimal glands. Impacting almost 1% of the global population, an effective solution still does not exist. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have shown potential to alleviate symptoms associated with pSS, but requires further research to fully determine their efficacy. Recently, endogenous salivary gland MSCs (SG MSCs) have been identified. These cells contribute to homeostasis and saliva production in salivary glands, and their similar proliferative and regenerative capacities make them promising candidates for therapy and for improving our understanding of pSS pathophysiology. This study aims to explore the immunobiology of SG MSCs by characterizing their immunosuppressive potential, response to stressors, mitochondrial profile, and cellular interactions. SG MSCs were cultured from a positive control donor and treated with the cytokine IFN-γ. SG MSC–PBMC coculture systems were also established. To analyze biomarkers, hybridized chain reaction, immunofluorescence, mitochondrial staining, and both static and live imaging were performed. IL-10, HLA, TGFβ, and COX4 were upregulated under IFN-γ–primed conditions, while oxidative stress disrupted the upregulation of IL-10. FOXP3 expression demonstrated the highest spatial correlation with neighboring cells, while TGFβ expression showed the strongest correlation with mitochondrial signal. Additionally, mitochondrial transfer from SG MSCs to PBMCs was observed. These results conclude that IFN-y simulates immunosuppressive cytokines in SG MSCs, however altered mitochondrial activity impairs this ability. SG MSCs also engage in paracrine signaling with adjacent cells, as evidenced by spatial correlation patterns and mitochondrial transfer. Together, this work highlights the link between metabolism and immunomodulation in SG MSCs.