Fig. 5: Aging inhibits the ameliorative effect of VEGF-C on osteolysis, accompanied by bone marrow aging and enhanced adipogenic differentiation.

a Micro-CT images illustrating cranial bone resorption in aging mice from both superior and inferior perspectives after continuous TAP treatment for 14 days, concomitant with subcutaneous injection of recombinant VEGF-C. b Quantification of the lytic area in calvarial bone tissues analyzed by micro-CT (n = 6). c TRAP staining in aging mouse cranial bones after TAP implantation. Scale bars: 100 μm. d H&E staining in aging mouse cranial bones after TAP implantation. Scale bars: 100 μm. e IF staining for DAPI with LYVE1 (green) and PROX1 (red). Scale bars, 100 μm. f Quantification of TRAP-stained areas in calvarial bone sections (n = 6). g Quantification of inflammatory infiltrating cells in calvarial bone sections (n = 6). h, i The corresponding quantitative data for LYVE1 (green) and PROX1 (red) expressions in the cranial bones of aging mice on day 14 after combined TAP and recombinant VEGF-C treatments (n = 6). j–l Representative immunofluorescence images and the corresponding quantification data for LYVE1 (green) and PROX1 (red) expressions in the cranial bones of mice at different ages (n = 6). m–p Representative immunofluorescence images and the corresponding quantification data for p53, γH2AX and Perilipin expressions in the cranial bones of mice at different ages (n = 6). Data are shown as means ± SD. Significance was assessed through one-way ANOVA.