Fig. 6

LGMSCs and LGMSC-Exos treatment mediated immune regulation. A IL-17⁺ cells in CD4⁺ T cells of untreated and LGMSC- and LGMSC-Exo-treated PBMCs from SS patients. B CD25⁺FoxP3⁺  cells in CD4⁺ T cells of untreated and LGMSC- and LGMSC-Exo-treated PBMCs from SS patients C, D Statistics of Th17 and Treg cells. E–J LGMSCs and LGMSC-Exos regulated the production of T-cell cytokines, namely, IL-17 (E), IFN-γ (F), IL-6 (G), TNF-α (H), IL-10 (I), and TGF-β (J), as analyzed in the supernatant of untreated and LGMSC- and LGMSC-Exo-treated PBMCs from SS patients. Data are shown as mean ± standard deviation (SD) from three independent experiments. ***p < 0.001, **p < 0.01, *p < 0.05. LGMSCs labial gland-derived mesenchymal stem cells; LGMSC-Exos LGMSC-derived exosomes; PBMCs peripheral blood mononuclear lymphocytes; SS Sjögren's syndrome; Th17 T helper 17; Treg T regulatory; IL interleukin; IFN-γ interferon gamma; TNF-α: tumor necrosis factor alpha; TGF-β transforming growth factor beta