Research Paper Volume 15, Issue 14 pp 7124—7145

Figure 4. miR-181a-5p inhibition reversed the influence of LncRNA SPIRE1 knockdown in mouse mandibular BM-MSCs on modulating Th17/Treg balance. (A–F) Normal mandibular BM-MSCs were transfected with plasmids expressing negative control shRNA or LncRNA SPIRE1-specific shRNA. At 48 hours after transfection, the LncRNA SPIRE1 knockdown BM-MSCs were further transfected with NC-inhibitor or miR-181a-5p-specific inhibitor. Pre-activated CD4⁺ T cells were co-cultured with the indicated BM-MSCs under the Th17 (A–C) or Treg (D–F) polarization condition. Representative flow cytometry profiles of Th17 (A) and Treg (D) populations, and their percentages are shown. The mRNA levels of RORC (B) or FoxP3 (E), and the levels of IL-17 (C) or IL-10 (F) in supernatants were quantitated by qPCR and ELISA, respectively. n = 3 for each group; ^*P < 0.05, ^**P < 0.01; ^***P < 0.001, between the indicated groups.