Fig. 7

MSCs promoted M2 macrophage polarization and anti-inflammatory effects in an HG + LPS environment via the COX-2-PGE2 pathway. MSCs were incubated in normal control, HG + LPS or HG + LPS + COX-2-inhibitor media, and the PGE2 concentration in the supernatant was detected by ELISA (a). n = 4–5, **P < 0.01. The HG + LPS-induced macrophages were cocultured with control MSCs or MSCs pretreated with COX-2 inhibitor in the presence or absence of exogenous PGE2. After treatment, macrophages were collected, and the M1 and M2 phenotypes were detected by flow cytometry (b, c). The IL-6, TNF-α and IL-10 concentrations in the supernatants were detected by ELISA (d). n = 3–4 per group, *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01