FIGURE 3.

Lean MSCs downregulate the expression of inflammatory cytokines in vivo and reverse the macrophage inflammatory phenotypes in vitro (flow cytometry). (A) Gene expression of the inflammatory cytokines TNF‐α, IL‐6, IL‐1a and MCP‐1 increased in RAS compared to Sham kidneys. Lean MSCs downregulated their expression more effectively than obese MSCs. (B) Flow cytometry analysis showed that the numbers of in vitro stimulated M1 macrophages were decreased when co‐cultured with both MSC types, yet lean MSCs were more effective than obese MSCs. MSCs had no effects on M2 phenotype. *p < 0.05 vs. sham/M0, ^# p < 0.05 vs. RAS/M1, ^{^} p < 0.05 vs. lean MSCs