tPA-MMP-9 Axis Plays a Pivotal Role in Mobilization of Endothelial Progenitor Cells from Bone Marrow to Circulation and Ischemic Region for Angiogenesis

Figure 2

Flow cytometric analysis of circulating level of endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) at 18 h and on day 14 after critical limb ischemia (CLI) procedure. (Upper panel) Circulating numbers of c-Kit+/CD31+ cells (a) and Sca-1+/KDR+ (b) at 18 h after CLI procedure. for each group. (Lower panel) Circulating numbers of c-Kit+/CD31+ cells (c) and Sca-1+/KDR+ cells (d) at day 14 after CLI procedure. for each group. All statistical analyses were performed by one-way ANOVA followed by Bonferroni multiple comparison post hoc test. tPA = tissue plasminogen activator. (1) Statistical analysis for subgroups [i.e., sham control (SC), CLI, SC + tPA, and CLI + tPA] of each group [group 1 (WT to WT, i.e., B B), group 2 (MMP-9^−/− to WT, i.e., M B), group 3 (MMP-9^−/− to MMP-9^−/−, i.e., M M), group 4 (WT to MMP-9^−/−, i.e., B M)]. For subgroups with different black symbols (, , , and ), . (2) Statistical analysis for group comparison with respective treatment condition (comparing among bar charts with the same color). (1) For SC subgroup (red bar chart), groups with different red symbols (, ), . (2) For CLI subgroup (blue bar chart), groups with different blue symbols (, ), . (3) For SC + tPA subgroup (green bar chart), groups with different green symbols (, ), . (4) For CLI + tPA subgroups (orange bar chart), groups with different orange symbols (, , and ), .

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