Table 1.

Gene Expression

	NT		BM		MSC
Gene name	12 weeks	24 weeks	12 weeks	24 weeks	12 weeks	24 weeks
Inflammation
Il6	1.00±0.00	1.19±0.53	1.14±0.40	0.61±0.13a	0.99±0.31	0.58±0.15a
Il7r	1.00±0.00	1.02±0.26	0.83±0.18	0.79±0.17	0.98±0.21	0.58±0.14a
Il23a	1.00±0.00	0.82±0.11	0.87±0.23	0.653±0.284	0.77±0.79	0.55±0.38a
Il10	1.00±0.00	0.93±0.38b	0.95±0.26	0.68±0.21	0.51±0.13	1.03±0.37b
Fibrosis
bFGF	1.00±0.00	1.14±0.22	0.66±0.22	0.51±0.21a	0.41±0.06a	0.59±0.14a
Fibronectin	1.00±0.00	0.42±0.15c	0.64±0.14	0.41±0.14	0.43±0.10a	0.59±0.14a
Homing
Cxcl12	1.00±0.00	0.51±0.15c	0.40±0.053a	0.57±0.05	0.44±0.036a	0.43±0.04
Cxcr4	1.00±0.00	0.52±0.13c	0.66±0.22a	0.37±0.07	0.4±0.09a	0.31±0.02

Immunomodulation of gene expression analysis of the grafts at 12 and at 24 weeks shows a modulation in the immune response. Results are presented as folds versus NT 12 weeks. We observe a decrease over time in the inflammatory cytokine levels in MSC-treated animals, along with an increase in the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL10. Fibrosis gene expression analysis (expressed as many folds over NT12 weeks) revealed an early effect of MSC therapy, decreasing the expression of profibrotic genes. At 24 weeks, we only observe differences at a gene level in the expression of basic fibroblast growth factor. On the other hand, at 12 weeks, the expression of homing genes CXCL12 and CXCR4 was down-regulated in both treated groups, and no differences were observed at 24 weeks (^aP<0.05 vs. NT group at the same time point, ^bP<0.05 vs. BMC group at the same time point, ^cP<0.05 vs. same group at 12 weeks).

MSC, mesenchymal stem cell; BMC, bone marrow mononuclear cell; NT, no-therapy.