Human mesenchymal stem cells derived from umbilical cord and bone marrow exert immunomodulatory effects in different mechanisms

Figure 5 Roles of prostaglandin E2 and interleukin-10 in the immunomodulatory functions of mesenchymal stem cells. A: Human peripheral blood mononuclear cells were stimulated with phytohemagglutinin (10 μg/mL) and cocultured with mesenchymal stem cells treated with indomethacin (20 μM) and/or anti- interleukin (IL)-10 (5 μg/mL). Then, interferon-gamma-producing CD4⁺ T cells were analyzed by flow cytometry, ^aP < 0.05; ^bP < 0.01 vs first bar; B: Human peripheral blood mononuclear cells were treated with anti-interferon-gamma (10 μg/mL), anti-IL-4 (10 μg/mL), IL-6 (10 ng/mL), IL-23 (5 ng/mL), IL-1β (10 ng/mL), tumor necrosis factor alpha-α (5 ng/mL) and transforming growth factor-β (2 ng/mL) to induce T helper 17 cells. Induced T helper 17 cells were cocultured with mesenchymal stem cells treated with indomethacin (20 μM) and/or anti-IL-10 (5 μg/mL). Populations of CD4⁺Foxp3⁺ T cells and CD4⁺IL-17⁺ T cells were analyzed by flow cytometry. Statistical analysis was performed by Student’s t-tests, ^aP < 0.05; ^bP < 0.01; ^cP < 0.0001 vs indicated group, ^dP < 0.05; ^fP < 0.0001 vs phytohemagglutinin control. Anti-IL-10: Anti-interleukin 10 antibody; BM-MSC: Bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells; IFN-γ: Interferon-gamma; IL-17: Interleukin 17; MSC: Mesenchymal stem cells; PHA: Phytohemagglutinin; Th17: T helper 17; UC-MSC: Umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cells.