MMP3 and rheumatoid arthritis: Similar findings have also been reported in rodent models of diabetic nephropathy (DN) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA), within which treatment with MSCs increased the concentration of anti-inflammatory cytokines (IL-10 in DN and RA and EGF in DN) This change was accompanied by a decrease in pro-inflammatory cytokines [IL-6, MCP-1, TNF-α and IL-1β in DN and of IL-6, TNF-α, TGF-β, NF-κB, toll-like receptor-2, MMP-3, COMP-1, and RF (rheumatoid factor) in RA] (32, 33).