Research Paper Volume 8, Issue 5 pp 1102—1114

Figure 4. MSCs from SLE patients pretreated with RAPA have a significant effect on LN of MRL/lpr mice. (A) 24 MRL / lpr mice were divided into three groups: SLE BM-MSCs transplantation group (G1), RAPA-pretreated SLE BM-MSCs transplantation group (G2), normal BM-MSCs transplantation group (G3). Three groups were injected with BM-MSC in tail vein. (B) Survival curves observed that The survival rate of G2 and G3 MRL/lpr mice was higher than that of control group. (C) Three groups MRL/lpr mice were weighed one time two weeks. Weight between G2, G3 and G1 had obvious difference from 24 weeks. (D) 24-hours urinary protein was measured by coomassie brilliant blue method. (E) mice were killed and were taken peripheral blood in orbit. Elisa showed that anti-ds-DNA antibody titer in serum in G2 and G3 is lower than G1. (F) HE-staining showed that renal pathological changes of G1 is significant, including glomerular sclerosis, mesangial cell proliferation, matrix widened, and formation of crescent, a number of lymphocytes infiltrating the interstitium (HE×300). However, histopathological changes of other groups were remarkable alleviated. (G) HE-staining showed that pulmonary pathological changes of G1 is significant, including Pulmonary vascular congestion and edema, lymphocyte and mononuclear cell infiltration, and consolidation of lung (HE×300). However, histopathological changes of other groups were remarkable alleviated. There is not statistical difference between G2 and G3. All data were expressed as the mean±SEM (n = 3, *P<0.05 compared with normal group, #P<0.05 compared with the untreated group).