Fig. 6.

Immunomodulatory effects of human bone marrow MSCs on CTD-UIP HLFs. a IL-6, IL-8, and MCP-1 levels in cultures of CTD-UIP HLF and CTD-UIP HLF pre-treated with either MSCs or NHLF. Triplicate wells were prepared for each group. Data represent the means ± SD from four independent experiments. * Significantly different from CTD-IP-HLF, P < 0.05. b IP-10 and TGF-β1 levels in cultures of MSCs, CTD-UIP HLF, and CTD-UIP HLF pre-treated with either MSCs or NHLF. Triplicate wells were prepared for each group. Data represent the means ± SD from four independent experiments. * or ** significantly different from the MSC group, P < 0.05 or P < 0.01 respectively. † P < 0.05, †† P < 0.01, compared to CTD-UIP HLF pre-treated with NHLF or CTD-UIP HLF without the pretreatment. c, d Western blot analysis was performed to assess α-SMA expression and signaling pathways (stat3 and smad3) in NHLF, CTD-UIP HLF, and CTD-UIP HLF pre-treated with either MSCs or NHLF. GAPDH was used as a loading control. Representative blots from three replicates are shown (d). Quantification of α-SMA expression (c). * Significantly different from the NHLF group with P < 0.05. † P < 0.05, compared to CTD-UIP HLF pre-treated with NHLF or CTD-UIP HLF without the pretreatment. MSCs mesenchymal stem cells, CTD-UIP-HLF HLF isolated from lung tissues pathologically diagnosed with UIP in CTD-IP patients, HLF human lung fibroblasts, NHLF normal human lung fibroblasts, IP-10 interferon γ-induced protein 10, TGF-β1 transforming growth factor-β1, α-SMA α-smooth muscle actin