VEGFA and systemic lupus erythematosus: When PBMCs from SLE patients were cocultured with umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cells (UC MSCs), UC MSC proliferation was elevated, the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and CXCL12 was increased, and Akt/IκB/STAT5 signaling pathways were activated (133).