Circulating Exosomes Derived-miR-146a from Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Patients Regulates Senescence of Mesenchymal Stem Cells

Figure 3

Serum exosomal miR-146a regulated the senescence of MSCs. (a) QRT-PCR showed the miR-146a expression in serum exosomes of normal persons and SLE patients. (b) QRT-PCR showed the miR-146a expression in MSCs treated with normal exosomes and SLE exosomes. (c) NOR MSCs were transfected with miR-146a inhibitors, and SLE MSCs were transfected with miR-146a mimics. The results showed the transfection efficiency was successful. (d, e) MSCs were fixed and stained for β-gal. The number of SA-β-gal-positive cells was obviously reversed among miR-146a mimics-treated SLE MSCs in comparison with untreated group. (f, g) The protein expressions of p16 and p53 were detected in NOR MSCs transfected with miR-146a inhibitors and SLE MSCs transfected with miR-146a mimics by western blotting analysis (^∗P < 0.05 compared with the normal group, ^#P < 0.05 compared with the SLE group, ^&P < 0.05 compared with the normal group) (NOR: normal MSCs group, NOR exo: normal MSCs treated with normal human exosomes, SLE exo: normal MSCs treated with exosomes from SLE patients, SLE: SLE MSCs group).