Figure 4.

Effect of SM-MSC treatment on the frequency of Th cell subsets in mice with CIA. Splenocytes from the mice in each group (n = 5 per group) were prepared and stimulated with PMA/ionomycin for 4 h, following which they were analyzed by flow cytometry. (a) Left, frequencies of Th1 (CD4⁺IFN-γ⁺), Th2 (CD4⁺IL-4⁺), Th17 (CD4⁺IL-17⁺), and Treg (CD4⁺FoxP3⁺) cells in the spleens of mice treated or not treated with SM-MSCs. Right, corresponding bar graphs show quantification of cell percentages. (b) Left, Tfr cells were assessed for the expression of PD-1⁺CXCR5⁺ cells gated from CD4⁺FoxP3⁺ cells by flow cytometry. Right, quantification of the percentage of CD4⁺CXCR5⁺PD-1⁺FoxP3⁺ cells. Data have been presented as mean±SD values. ^∗p < 0.05, ^∗∗p < 0.01.