Figure 2

The combination of hBM-MSCs and minocycline attenuates clinical EAE severity in mice. EAE was induced in female C57 BL/6 mice by immunization with the MOG 35- to 55-amino acid peptide. (A) Mean daily clinical scores for the different EAE treatments (n = 10 per group) revealed that PBS-treated mice developed EAE with an average maximum severity over grade 4. Treatment with hBM-MSCs or minocycline alone decreased disease severity, with an average maximum severity of grades 1 to 2. Combination treatment markedly attenuated disease severity, with an average maximum severity of grade 1. Points, mean; bars, SEM. (B) The average clinical score of the four groups was assessed from day 1 until day 50 after immunization. Compared with PBS treatment, hBM-MSCs or minocycline treatment alone significantly decreased the average clinical scores (P < 0.05). Compared with hBM-MSCs or minocycline treatment alone, combination treatment significantly decreased the average clinical scores (P < 0.05). (C) The maximum clinical score for each mouse over the course of the entire experiment was recorded, and the trend of the maximum clinical scores in the four groups was the same as the average clinical score (P < 0.05). Columns, mean; bars, SEM. *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01, ***P < 0.001, one-way ANOVA with post hoc Bonferroni corrections. The results are representative of three independent experiments.