Fig. 2

hAMSCs induce M2 macrophage polarization via PGE₂ production. A, B hAMSCs were co-cultured with hPBMCs at a ratio of 1:20. CD206 expression in hPBMCs was determined after 24 h using flow cytometry. A representative experiment (A) and the mean ± SD of three independent experiments (B) are shown. C Relative mRNA levels of M2 macrophage markers in hPBMCs with or without hAMSCs co-culture. Relative expression was obtained after normalizing the mRNA levels to those in hPBMCs without MSC co-culture. Data are presented as the mean ± SD of three independent experiments. D, E hAMSCs were co-cultured with PHA-activated hPBMCs at a ratio of 1:20 in the presence or absence of indomethacin, a PGE₂ production inhibitor. CD206 expression in hPBMCs was determined after 24 h using flow cytometry. A representative experiment (D), the mean ± SD of three independent experiments (E). Statistical differences are shown as ^*P < 0.05, ^**P < 0.01, ^***P < 0.001, and ^****P < 0.0001