Fig. 4
Involvement of PGE2 on the regulation of CD14++CD16+ monocyte levels. Monocytes from sepsis patients (1 × 106 PBMC/well in six-well plates) were cultured in the presence of ASCs (250,000 cells/well) (n = 23) or PGE2 (4 ng/ml, n = 9). Separately, monocytes were cultured with ASCs and treated with the PGE2 inhibitor NS-398 (1 μM, n = 9). After 24 h, phenotypic analysis was performed to check the three monocyte subsets. The box plot showed the percentage of CD14++CD16+ monocytes (a), CD14+CD16++ monocytes (b), and CD14++CD16– monocytes (c). The plot shows a median (lines within boxes), interquartile range (bounds of boxes), and error bars (upper and lower ranges). *p < 0.05, **p < 0.01, ***p < 0.001. ASC adipose-derived mesenchymal stem (stromal) cell, MO monocytes, PGE2 prostaglandin E2