Fig. 2: CCL21-CCR7 axis mediates MSC homing to lymph nodes.

A Measurement of chemokine concentrations in peripheral lymph nodes from psoriatic mice (n = 5). B Relative Ccl21a expression in different tissues of psoriatic mice (n = 5). Significant differences in comparison with lymph nodes. C Representative images and quantification of MSC recruited by the homogenate of lymph node from psoriatic mice in the presence of anti-CCL21 antibody (n = 5). D Illustration of the scheme depicting MSC treatment for psoriatic mice pretreated with anti-CCL21 antibody. E Quantification of MSC in the peripheral lymph nodes of psoriatic mice pretreated with anti-CCL21 antibody 24 h after MSC administration (n = 5). F In vivo IVIM imaging of MSC-RFP in inguinal lymph nodes from psoriatic mice pretreated with anti-CCL21 antibody. Scale bar, 100 μm. G Immunofluorescence colocalization analysis of CCL21 with high endothelial cells (MECA-79) or lymphatic endothelial cells (LYVE) in the peripheral lymph nodes of normal mice and psoriatic mice. Scale bars, 100 μm. H Secreted protein levels of CCL21 in SVEC-10 cells stimulated with lymph node homogenate for 16 h were analyzed 8 h after media refreshment (n = 5). I Quantification of MSC recruited in a transwell culture system by conditioned medium collected after the stimulation of SVEC4-10 cells with lymph node homogenate for 16 h (n = 5). J CCR7 expression in MSC stimulated with mouse serum for 24 h was determined by flow cytometry (n = 5). The data are presented as the means ± SEMs. *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01 and ***P < 0.001.