Human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cell-derived exosomes alleviate experimental colitis by maintaining the intestinal barrier and remodeling macrophage polarization

Figure 6 Human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cell-derived exosomes promote transformation of macrophage subsets. A and B: Relative mRNA expression levels of the inflammatory cytokines interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, inducible nitric oxide synthase, Mrc1, Arg1, IL-10, and Ym1 determined by reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR); C and D: Relative mRNA expression of the M1-related genes IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α, and IL-12, and the M2-related genes Mrc1, Arg1, IL-10, and transforming growth factor-β determined by RT-qPCR in RAW264.7 cells stimulated with phosphate-buffered saline, lipopolysaccharide + interferon-γ, and IL-4 + IL-13 following human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cell-derived exosome treatment. Data are presented as the mean ± SD. Each experiment was repeated three times independently (n = 8 mice per group). ^aP < 0.05. ^bP < 0.01. ^cP < 0.001. NS: No significance; NC: Negative control; DSS: Dextran sulfate sodium; hucMSC-Ex: Human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cell-derived exosomes; IL: Interleukin; mRNA: Messenger RNA; TNF: Tumor necrosis factor; iNOS: Inducible nitric oxide synthase; TGF: Transforming growth factor; M^PBS: Phosphate-buffered saline treatment; M^LPS: Lipopolysaccharide + interferon-γ treatment; M^IL-4: Interleukin-4 + interleukin-13 treatment; Ex: Exosomes; PBS: Phosphate-buffered saline.