Mesenchymal stem cells-derived exosomes alleviate radiation induced pulmonary fibrosis by inhibiting the protein kinase B/nuclear factor kappa B pathway

Figure 5 Mesenchymal stem cells-derived exosomes promoted proliferation and suppressed inflammation, extracellular matrix, epithelial-mesenchymal transition in radiation induced alveolar epithelial cells. A and B: The cell proliferations of RLE-6TN and BEAS-2B cells were detected by CCK8 assay. OD value (450 nm) was measured at 24 hours, 48 hours and 72 hours (n = 3); C and D: The secretion levels of inflammatory chemokines [tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin (IL)-6, IL-1β, IL-10] in the culture supernatants were measured by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (n = 3); E and F: The mRNA expressions of E-cadherin, vimentin, alpha-smooth muscle actin and collagen type 1 alpha 1 were detected by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction in RLE-6TN and BEAS-2B cells (n = 3). ^aP < 0.05 vs control + phosphate buffered saline, ^bP < 0.01 vs control + phosphate buffered saline, ^cP < 0.001 vs control + phosphate buffered saline, ^dP < 0.0001 vs control + phosphate buffered saline, ^eP < 0.05 vs irradiation + phosphate buffered saline, ^fP < 0.01 vs irradiation + phosphate buffered saline, ^gP < 0.001 vs irradiation + phosphate buffered saline, ^hP < 0.0001 vs irradiation + phosphate buffered saline. CON: Control; PBS: Phosphate buffered saline; IR: Irradiation; EXO: Exosomes; IL: Interleukin; TNF: Tumor necrosis factor; α-SMA: Alpha-smooth muscle actin; COL1A1: Collagen type 1 alpha 1.