Fig. 4: MSCs support immune function and promote costimulatory CD28 expression partly via MAPK-ERK/JNK signaling. | Cell Research

Fig. 4: MSCs support immune function and promote costimulatory CD28 expression partly via MAPK-ERK/JNK signaling.

From: Mesenchymal stem cell treatment improves outcome of COVID-19 patients via multiple immunomodulatory mechanisms

Fig. 4

a Representative flow cytometry results for activated PBMCs after co-culturing with MRC-5 or MSCs for 2 days. CD69 is an early-stage activation marker of T cells. b Representative flow cytometry results for activated PBMCs after co-culture with MRC-5 or MSCs for 5 days. CD25 is a mid-stage activation marker of T cells. c Summary histogram of T-cell activation markers CD69 and CD25. d–f Relative expression levels of RNAs encoding cytokines in total T cells (d), CD4+ T cells (e), and CD8+ T cells (f). g Representative flow cytometry results (left) and summary histogram (right) of CD28 expression on the surface of quiescent T cells co-cultured with MRC-5 or MSCs. h CD28 gene expression of T cells co-cultured with MRC-5 or MSCs by qRT-PCR. i Representative scatter diagram of CD28 expression on quiescent CD4+ T helper cells co-cultured with MRC-5 or MSCs. j Representative scatter diagram of CD28 expression on quiescent CD8+ cytotoxic T cells co-cultured with MRC-5 or MSCs. k Summary histogram of CD28 expression on CD4+/CD8+ quiescent T cells co-cultured with MRC-5 or MSCs. l Timeline of clinical trials of MSC infusion. m Representative scatter diagram of changes in CD28 expression on CD3+ T cells isolated from blood samples from volunteers over 12 months. n Line chart of changes in CD28 expression on CD3+ T cells isolated from blood samples from all four volunteers over 12 months. o Western blotting results of p-ERK and p-JNK of T cells co-cultured with MRC-5 or MSCs. p Representative flow cytometry results (left) and summary histogram (right) of CD69 expression on activated T cells co-cultured with MRC-5/MSCs with or without different signaling inhibitors or activators. q Relative expression of cytokines in T cells co-cultured with MRC-5/MSCs with or without different signaling inhibitors or activators. The data represent means ± SD. The P values were determined using the unpaired Student’s t-test. *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01, ***P < 0.001.

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