Figure 10.

Reduction of inflammation following nanoparticle-treated MSC administration.

Notes: (A) Histological analysis of ear tissues (scale bars: 100 µm). The sections showed an alteration of tissue architecture in the inflamed ears and in the ones treated with MSCs. (B) Prussian blue analysis of ear sections at 24 hours reveals that iron oxide nanoparticles stayed at ear tissues. Scale bars: 100 µm. Moreover, nanoparticles treatment enhanced the recruitment of MSCs in the inflamed ear. (C) Nanoparticles labeled MSCs exhibited a significant addition in ear compared to the other groups. Scale bars: 20 µm. (D) qRT-PCR for the expressions of pro-(TNF-α and COX-2) and anti-(TGF-β and IL-10) inflammatory genes on explants 24 hours following the injection of MSCs labeled with iron oxide nanoparticles and unlabeled MSCs. The expression levels of pro-inflammatory molecules found in the inflamed ears are also shown for control ear with no inflammation. (n=3; bar represent the SD. *P<0.05, **P<0.01, and ***P<0.001). 1 represents normal ear with no inflammation; 2 represents inflamed ears injected with PBS; 3 represents inflamed ears injected with MSC; 4 represents inflamed ears injected with MSCs labeled with Fe₃O₄@PDA; and 5 represents inflamed ears injected with MSCs labeled with Fe₃O₄.

Abbreviations: COX-2, cyclooxygenase-2; Fe₃O₄@PDA, PDA-capped Fe₃O₄; IL-10, interleukin-10; PDA, polydopamine; MSC, mesenchymal stem cell; qRT, quantitative reverse transcription; TNF-α, tumor necrosis factor-α.