Fig. 1: MSC exhibit a homing tendency toward lymph nodes in IMQ-induced psoriatic mice.

A Photographic documentation illustrating the condition of the mouse back skin five days after MSC treatment. B Clinical scoring based on skin erythema, scaling, and thickness, with significant differences compared to those of IMQ-induced psoriatic mice (n = 5). C Hematoxylin-eosin (H&E) staining of lesional skin. Scale bar, 100 μm. D Quantification of epidermal thickness (n = 5). E, F IVIM imaging and quantification showing dynamics of transplanted MSC in inguinal lymph nodes from psoriatic mice at 1, 6, and 24 h post-MSC treatment. G Dynamic profiling of MSC engraftment in peripheral lymph nodes of normal mice and psoriatic mice assessed using Q-PCR at intervals of 1, 6, 24, 48, 72, and 120 h post-MSC administration, with significant differences compared to normal mice (n = 5). H Quantification of MSC in different tissues of normal mice and psoriatic mice assessed 24 h post-administration (n = 5). I Localized magnification of MSC in inguinal lymph nodes from psoriatic mice at 24 h post-MSC treatment as determined by IVIM imaging. Scale bars, 50 μm and 20 μm. J, K Representative images and quantification of RFP-MSC in the inguinal lymph nodes of normal mice and psoriatic mice 24 h after MSC injection. Scale bar, 50 μm. L Representative images and quantification of MSC recruited by homogenates of lymph nodes from normal mice and psoriatic mice (n = 5). The data are presented as the means ± SEMs. *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01 and ***P < 0.001. MSC mesenchymal stromal cells, IMQ imiquimod, PASI Psoriasis Area and Severity Index, LN lymph node.