Fig. 7: Serum exosomal miR-194 modulates pulmonary angiogenesis in CBDL rats.

a, c Representative micrographs of hematoxylin and eosin staining of pulmonary microvessels in sham-operated, 5-week-old CBDL rats with or without pifithrin-μ, GW4869, or anti-miR-194 administration, and graphical summaries of the microvessel count in sham, 5-week-old CBDL rats with or without pifithrin-μ, GW4869, or anti-miR-194 administration. Scale bar, 100 μm. b, d Immunostaining of vWF (red) with DAPI nuclear staining (blue), and graphical summaries of the microvessel count in the sham-operated, 5-week-old CBDL rats with or without pifithrin-μ, GW4869, or anta-miR-194 administration (n = 8). Scale bar, 250 μm. Data are presented as the mean ± SD. *p < 0.05 compared with the sham group. ^#p < 0.05 compared with the CBDL group. e qRT-PCR analysis was performed to detect the expression of serum exosomal miR-194 in the HPS group and the sham-operated group (n = 22). Data are represented as mean ± SD. *p < 0.05 compared with the sham group. f Correlation between exosomal miR-194 and P(A-a)O₂ in HPS rats (n = 22) were compared using a Pearson correlation test. g Kaplan–Meier plot of overall survival. The differences between survival curves for 60 days in groups (Sham group, n = 10; CBDL group, n = 21; CBDL + pifithrin-μ group, n = 20; CBDL + GW4869 group, n = 20; CBDL + anta-miR-194 group, n = 20) were compared using a log-rank test. ***p < 0.005 versus CBDL. h ELISA analysis of the Ang-2 and VEGF protein expression levels in lung tissue after treatment with SEs or HEs (n = 5). Data are represented as mean ± SD. *p < 0.05 compared with the sham-operated group. i qRT-PCR analysis was performed to detect the expression of serum exosomal miR-194 in HPS patients and control group (n = 20). Data are represented as mean ± SD. *p < 0.05 compared with the control group. j Correlation between exosomal miR-194 and P(A-a)O₂ in HPS patients (n = 20) were compared using a Pearson correlation test