Figure 1.

MSCs inhibited CF and pericyte activation in RIF

(A) FUT8 levels were assessed using western blotting. The bottom panel shows the quantification. Scale bar, 50 μm. Data are the mean ± SD (n = 3). Control, pericytes without TGFβ1 stimulation. TGFβ1+MSCs, 48 h after TGFβ1 stimulation of pericytes, MSCs were added immediately after the TGFβ1 stimulation of pericytes. (B) FUT8 activity examined by HPLC. Data are the mean ± SD (n = 3); S indicates the peptide substrate; P is the fucosylation product. (C) Representative images of PDGFRβ (green) and LCA (red) staining, and α-SMA (green) and LCA (red) staining. The bottom panel shows the quantification. Scale bar, 75 μm. Data are the mean ± SD (n = 3). (D) Representative morphological alterations in pericytes. Scale bar, 200 μm. (E) Representative images of PDGFRβ (green) and α-SMA (red) staining. The right panel shows the quantification. Scale bar, 75 μm. Data are the mean ± SD (n = 3). α-SMA levels were assessed using western blotting. The right panel shows the quantification. Scale bar, 50 μm. Data are the mean ± SD (n = 3). TGFβ1+MSCs, 48-h TGFβ1–stimulated pericytes plus MSCs. (F) Representative images of PDGFRβ (green) and LCA (red) staining, and α-SMA (green) and LCA (red) staining. The bottom panel shows the quantification. Scale bar, 75 μm. Data are the mean ± SD (n = 6). Control, C57 mice without UUO surgery. UUO+MSCs, 7 days after mice had been injected with MSCs via the tail vein immediately after UUO surgery. (G) Representative images of PDGFRβ (green) and CD31 (red) staining, and PDGFRβ (green) and α-SMA (red) staining. The bottom panel shows the quantification. Scale bar, 75 μm. Data are the mean ± SD (n = 6). The arrows represent the pericytes leaving the endothelium. (H) Representative images of Masson's trichrome and PAS staining of UUO mouse kidney sections. The bottom panel shows the quantification. Scale bar, 200 μm. Data are the mean ± SD (n = 6).