Mesenchymal stem cell therapy induces FLT3L and CD1c+ dendritic cells in systemic lupus erythematosus patients

Abstract

Promising pilot clinical trials of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) therapy of lupus await validation in larger, controlled trials. Here the authors show that MSCs expand CD1c+ dendritic cells in cell culture by producing FLT3L, and that in lupus patients, circulating CD1c+ dendritic cells and FLT3L are increased following MSCs therapy.