Figure 5

Activation of FLSs via TLR3 induction stimulated by pristane-primed, T-cell-conditioned medium. Rat FLSs were incubated with pristane-primed T-cell- or control T-cell-conditioned medium for 24 hours, and (A) TLR3 and (B) functional gene expression in FLSs were determined by using real-time PCR. Then rat FLSs were transfected with TLR3-shRNA plasmid and a negative control. (C) TLR3 mRNA expression was detected 24 hours after transfection. (D) TLR3-shRNA plasmid- and NC-shRNA plasmid-transfected FLSs were incubated with pristane-primed T cell condition medium, and the IFN-β, IL-6, MMP3 and MMP13 expression was detected at 24 hours. Data are presented as means ± SEM from three independent experiments. Levels of significance were calculated by using Student's t-test (*P < 0.05, **P < 0.01).