Fig. 2

Effects of MSC on the expression of CD3⁺ lymphocyte adhesion molecules. In activated CD3⁺ lymphocytes cultured in the absence or in the presence of MSC in TW, the relative mRNA expression of α4 integrin a and of ICAM-1 b was evaluated by qPCR. Data (mean ± SD) are reported as fold induction with respect to controls after normalization for GAPDH mRNA. The proportion of cells which express α4 integrin c and of ICAM-1 d on the T-cell membrane was evaluated by flow cytometry in the same experimental conditions. Results are expressed as mean percentage ± SD obtained from six independent experiments. Activated vs. N.A. cells, *p ≤0.01, **p ≤0.001, ***p ≤0.0001; MSC-treated vs. MSC-untreated cells, $p ≤ 0.01, $$p ≤0.001, $$$p ≤0.0001. ICAM intercellular adhesion molecule, MSC mesenchymal stem cells, N.A. PBMC in resting conditions