Fig. 6
a Estimated marginal means of HIF-1α, AGER, and VEGF mRNA expression levels in the tibial metaphysis and diaphysis of T1DM and control rabbits. Error bars represent 95% confidence intervals. HIF-1α & AGER: Expression was significantly higher in T1DM rabbits compared to controls in both metaphysis and diaphysis (all p < 0.001). Within the T1DM group, metaphyseal expression exceeded diaphyseal expression (p < 0.001). VEGF: Expression was significantly lower in T1DM rabbits compared to controls in both regions (all p < 0.001). The physiological pattern of higher metaphyseal than diaphyseal expression was preserved in both groups (both p < 0.001). Statistical analyses were performed using linear mixed-effects models with Tukey-adjusted post-hoc tests. b Correlation heatmap of multimodal parameters in diabetic bone marrow. Pearson correlation matrix showing relationships among metabolic exchange (ΔT2_max, T2 change rate, vesicle number, USPIO_Area%), angiogenic (VEGF_IF, VEGF_mRNA), microvascular (VV/TV, vessel number), oxidative stress (SOD_Activity, AGER_mRNA), perfusion/permeability (Ktrans, Kep, Ve), HIF-1α (HIF1α_IF, HIF1α_mRNA), and type H vessel parameters. FDR-corrected significance: *q < 0.05, **q < 0.01, ***q < 0.001. Key correlations: positive between HIF-1α and metabolic/oxidative/perfusion parameters; negative between HIF-1α and angiogenic/microvascular parameters, supporting the AGEs/ROS-HIF-1α-VEGF axis in diabetic microvascular dysfunction.
