Figure 3

Effects of UC-MSCs on the invasive behavior and IL-6 production of FLSs in vitro. (a) Invasive behavior of FLSs in Matrigel matrix was measured in the transwell system. Forty-eight hours after seeding on matrix the number of FLSs grown through Matrigel and transwell membrane was detected. All the data are expressed as the mean ± SD of more than three independent experiments. ** P < 0.01 vs. the control. (b) FLSs (2 × 10⁴) from RA patients and UC-MSCs (2 × 10⁴) were separated in the transwell system or cocultured in the cell-to-cell contact system in 24-well plates. After 72 hours, MMP9 in culture supernatants were determined. MMP9 production was inhibited both in the cell-to-cell contact system and the transwell system. All the data are expressed as the mean ± SD of more than three independent experiments. **P < 0.01, vs. FLSs alone. (c) FLSs (2 × 10⁴) from RA patients and UC-MSCs (2 × 10⁴) were separated in the transwell system or cocultured in the cell-to-cell contact system in 24-well plates. After 72 hours, IL-6 in culture supernatants was determined. IL-6 production was inhibited in the transwell system. All the data are expressed as the mean ± SD of more than three independent experiments. **P < 0.01 vs. FLSs alone. (d) Time course of IL-6 production. At different time points, IL-6 was downregulated only in the transwell system. **P < 0.01, *P < 0.05 vs. FLSs alone, respectively. All the data are expressed as the mean ± SD of more than three independent experiments.