Figure 4
(A) Low magnification images from CD31 stained cross-sections of semimembranosus muscles show CD31 positive cells in the muscle perimysium in all 1 × 109 vp animals. With the 1 × 1010 vp dose, enlargement of capillaries is uniformly seen inside the muscle fascicles. Scalebar 200 µm. B. VEGFR-1 staining is intense in the small capillaries, but reduced in the heavily enlarged capillaries. VEGFR-2 staining is more intense in the enlarged capillaries. Pictures are from AdVammin 1 × 1010 vp treated muscle from areas of low, medium and high effect. Scalebar 50 µm. C. Diffuse VEGF-A staining is seen in 1 × 1010 vp AdVEGF-A transduced muscles surrounding the capillaries especially in VEGF-A165 muscles. The cells in the perimysium were strongly stained with VEGF-A also in AdVammin 1 × 109 vp transduced muscles suggesting that they may serve as a source of endogenous VEGF-A. VEGF-A is also detected around the highly enlarged capillaries in AdVammin 1 × 1010 vp muscle. Scalebar 200 µM in the low magnification (40x) images and 50 µm in the high magnification (400x) images.
