Fig. 3

Evaluation of inflammatory infiltration in SMGs of NOD mice. a Outline of the experimental protocol. b The salivary flow rate in each group at 15 weeks of age. n = 6 per group. ***p < 0.001. c Quantification of anti-dsDNA (top) and anti-SSA/Ro-52 (bottom) antibodies in the NOD mice at 15 weeks of age. Data represent the mean ± standard deviation. n = 6. *p < 0.05. d Representative histological images of the submandibular glands for H&E staining in 15-week-old NOD mice. The number of inflammatory cell foci in the DPSC-CM group was lower than that in the other groups. Higher magnifications are displayed in the lower left of each H&E-stained image. Lower magnification bars are 500 μm, while higher magnification bars are 200 μm. e The degree of inflammatory infiltration in the submandibular gland was evaluated using the focus score. Data are representative of the mean ± standard deviation. n = 6. ***p < 0.001; **p < 0.01