Fig. 3

In vitro effect of BLyS and belimumab on EPC-CFU number and morphology. a Histogram shows the mean number of EPC-CFU reached after treatment of EPCs from HD with BLyS/belimumab alone or in co-treatment at day 7 of the culture. b Images show the change of morphology of EPC-CFU in vitro treated with BLyS that appears disorganized (low left panel), while co-treatment with belimumab seems to preserve a morphology like a normal colony of EPCs (low right panel). Belimumab does not affect CFU morphology (low middle panel) that is comparable to that of HD (top panel). Images obtained in a representative experiment are shown. c Histogram shows the mean number of EPC-CFU reached after treatment of EPCs with BLyS alone or with belimumab at the start of the culture. EPCs treated with BLyS are not able to form a normal colony, as shown in the low left panel, while co-treatment with belimumab (low right panel) leads the cells to create a colony comparable with that observed in untreated cells (top panel). Images obtained in a representative experiment are shown