Fig. 7: AMs from MSC-treated mice exhibit immunomodulatory effects.

a Flow cytometric histogram plot and bar chart demonstrating that humans MSCs, but not apoptotic MSCs (ApoMSCs, BH3-mimetic drug-treated), inhibited the proliferation of αCD3/CD28-stimulated CFSE-labelled purified T cells (Unstimulated n = 5; Stimulated n = 4; MSC n = 5; ApoMSC n = 5). Data expressed as mean ± SEM, representative of two independent experiments. p values by one-way ANOVA (Tukey’s post hoc test). b Monocytes and AMs were FACSorted from SEN or SEN + MSC-treated mice on D12, then cocultured with DLN cells from SEN mice (1:5 myeloid cell:responder ratio) in the presence of OVA. AMs, but not monocytes, from SEN + MSC mice inhibited the proliferative response to OVA. Data expressed as mean ± SEM, representative of two independent experiments; n = 3 biological independent samples per group. p values by one-way ANOVA (Tukey’s post hoc test). c AMs, but not monocytes, from SEN + MSC mice induced IL-10 production in response to OVA. Data representative of two independent experiments. Data expressed as mean ± SEM, representative of two independent experiments, n = 3 biological independent samples per group. p values by one-way ANOVA (Tukey’s post hoc test). d Timeline for MSC treatment in Day 22 OVA re-challenge model. e RI and Cdyn of mice from D in response to increasing doses of methacholine. Data expressed as mean ± SEM (UNS n = 7; SEN n = 6, SEN + MSC n = 8). p values by two-way ANOVA (Tukey’s post hoc test), compared with SEN. f Number of eosinophils in BALF (UNS n = 5; SEN n = 5, SEN + MSC n = 4), OVA-specific DLN proliferation, measured by MTS bioreduction (UNS n = 5; SEN n = 3, SEN + MSC n = 5) and IL-5 and IL-13 production after OVA restimulation of T cells (n = 5 per group). Data expressed as mean ± SEM, p values by one-way ANOVA (Tukey’s post hoc test). g Lung sections were stained with H&E and PAS to analyse for pulmonary inflammation and mucus production respectively. Magnification 20x, scale bar = 100 µM. Histological images were representative of five mice per group. h Timeline for MSC treatment in Day 42 OVA re-challenge model and number of eosinophils in BALF. Data expressed as mean ± SEM (n = 5 per group). p values by one-way ANOVA (Tukey’s post hoc test). i Timeline for MSC treatment after intranasal OVA challenge and total number of eosinophils in BALF. Data expressed as mean ± SEM (n = 5 per group). p values by one-way ANOVA (Tukey’s post hoc test). Source data are provided as a Source Data file.