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Fig. 3 | Stem Cell Research & Therapy

Fig. 3

From: hUCMSC-extracellular vesicles downregulated hepatic stellate cell activation and reduced liver injury in S. japonicum-infected mice

Fig. 3

hUCMSC-EVs attenuated S. japonicum-induced liver injury in mice. a Time schedule for parasite infection and intravenous injection of hUCMSCs, hUCMSC-EVs, or PBS. Mice were infected percutaneously with 14 S. japonicum cercariae at day 0 and received hUCMSC, hUCMSC-EVs, or PBS by tail injection at day 28/35/42/49 post-infection. Liver samples and blood serum were collected at the indicated time points. MSCs, hUCMSCs; EVs, hUCMSC-EVs. b The appearance of liver from each group at the indicated time points. c HE staining of liver sections. Scale bar = 200 μm. d Mean area of granuloma measured from HE staining liver sections using a calibrated measuring eyepiece. Striped bars, uninfected mice; black bar, PBS control; gray bars, hUCMSC group; white bars, hUCMSC-EVs group. e Masson’s trichrome staining of collagen in the liver sections. Scale bar = 200 μm. f Fibrosis scores measured from Masson’s trichrome staining liver sections. g Collagen content of the livers determined as hydroxyproline content. h The number of schistosome eggs in the liver was measured after the liver tissue was digested by 4% KOH. Levels of i ALT, j AST, and k endotoxin in blood serum. Mean values ± SD for three independent experiments are shown, *P < 0.05; **P < 0.01; ***P < 0.001, compared with the PBS group

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