Figure 3: Tß4/MRTF-A-induced microvessel maturation is essential for collateral growth and improved perfusion.
From: MRTF-A controls vessel growth and maturation by increasing the expression of CCN1 and CCN2
(a) HPLC analysis revealed a significant increase in Tß4 protein after rAAV.Tß4 transduction of ischaemic rabbit hindlimbs, whereas rabbit-specific Tß4-Ala remained unchanged. (b–d) rAAV.MRTF-A or rAAV.Tß4 application enhanced capillary density (PECAM-1 staining) as well as pericyte investment (NG2 staining, scale bar: 50 μm), which are both abolished by co-application of Angiopoietin-2 (rAAV.Ang2). (e,f) Angiographies of ischaemic hindlimbs on day 35 revealed an increased collateral formation in rAAV.MRTF-A- and rAAV.Tß4-treated animals (red arrows indicate site of femoral artery excision, scale bar: 2 cm). Co-application of rAAV.Ang2 abolished this effect. (g) rAAV.MRTF-A and rAAV.Tß4 induced a gain of perfusion in ischaemic hindlimbs, unless rAAV.Ang2 was co-applied. (all error bars: mean±s.e.m., n=5, *P<0.05, **P<0.001, using ANOVA with the Student–Newman–Keul’s procedure).
