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CD11c⁺ Cells Partially Mediate the Renoprotective Effect Induced by Bone Marrow-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells

Figure 4

In vitro co-culture with MSCs induced a phenotypic change in the CD11c⁺ cells.

The spleen-derived CD11c⁺ cells were isolated by magnetic sorting and co-cultured with the vehicle (media) or MSCs either in direct contact or separated by trans-well insets for 72 h. Subsequently, their phenotypes were assessed by flow cytometry. (A) Left, expression of CD11c; right, expression of CD11b. CD11c-MSC, same chamber; CD11c//MSC, lower/upper separation. The isolated CD11c⁺ cells can be divided into CD11c^high or CD11c^low and CD11b^high CD11b^low populations. The phenotypic changes were semi-quantitatively assessed by calculating and comparing the ratios of cell types (CD11c^high/CD11c^low or CD11b^high/CD11b^low). * p < 0.05 compared to CD11c⁺//media. (B) Expression of the maturation marker CD80 in the CD11c⁺ cells. (C) Intracellular IL-10 in the CD11c⁺ cells. (D) Intracellular TNF-α in the CD11c⁺ cells. * p < 0.05 compared to the PBS-treated CD11c⁺ cells. All in vitro experiments were performed in triplicate and repeated 3 times.

doi: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0072544.g004