Table 8.

Assessment of immunomodulatory ability.

Author	Results	Method of assessment
Bacigalupo et al. (47)	• Less suppression of T-cell proliferation by  AA-MSCs and AA-MSC CM • Higher T-cell mediated inhibition of  hematopoietic colony formation in AA- MSCs co-cultures • Less suppression of CD38, CD25, CD69,  HLA-DR expression  on PHA-primed T-cells by AA-MSCs and  AA-MSC CM • Less suppression of INF-γ production in co-culture with AA-MSCs	• Mixed lymphocyte reaction; T-cell proliferation • MSC (CM) co-culture with T-cells (PHA); T-cell proliferation, T-cell activation surface markers and IFN-γ production   (ELISA), hematopoietic colony formation
Bueno et al. (37)	• No difference in immunomodulatory effects	• Mixed lymphocyte reaction; T-cell proliferation, IL-2/TNF-α/IFN-γ production (ELISA) • MSC co-culture with TNF-α/LPS stimulated synovial membrane cells of RA-patients; matrix degrading enzymes (MMP1/MMP8/MMP13    type I collagenase, MMP2 gelatinase, type IV collagenase activities) and TNF-α production (ELISA)
Chao et al. (30)	• More suppression of PBMC proliferation by  AA-MSCs (P = 0.016) and AA-MSC CM • Higher levels of IL-6, IFN-γ, TNF-α and IL-1β in CM of AA-MSCs • No difference in levels of IL-4, IL-10, IL-17	• MSC (CM) co-culture with PBMCs (PHA); PBMC proliferation • IL-6, IFN-γ, TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-4, IL-10, IL-17 production by MSCs (cytometric bead array immunoassay)
Huo et al. (29)	• Less suppression of T-cell activation and differentiation towards Th1,   Th17 and Tc1 cells by AA-MSCs	• MSC co-culture with T-cells; T-cell activation (CD25, CD69) and differentiation (Th1, Th2, Th17, Tc1, Tc2)
Li, J. et al. (43)	• PHA-cultures:  – Less suppression of T-cell proliferation by AA-MSCs  – Less suppression of INF-γ and TNF-α production in co-cultures with AA-MSCs  – No difference in production of IL-4, IL-10, IL-17 in co-culture with    AA-MSCs • MSC single culture:  – Lower levels of PGE-2 in CM of AA-MSCs • rhIL-2 cultures:  – Lower levels of TGF-β in co-cultures with AA-MSCs  – Less promotion of Treg differentiation by AA-MSCs	• MSC co-culture with CD4+ T-cells (PHA); T-cell proliferation and IFN-γ, TNF-α, IL-17, IL-10, IL-4 (ELISA) • PGE2 production by MSCs (ELISA) • MSC co-culture with CD4+ T-cells (rhIL-2); differentiation to Tregs, TGF-β
Sharma et al. (25)	• No difference in immunomodulatory effects	• MSC-co-culture with PBMCs (PHA); PBMC proliferation