Fig. 7

PX-478 increased BBB permeability after ischemia in diabetic mice. A Representative microphotographs of IgG-positive staining in the PBS-treated, EPC-treated, EPC and PX-478 co-treated and PX-478 alone group at 24 h after tMCAO. Higher magnification of the boxed area in a to d were shown in e to h. Scale bar = 200 μm. B. Bar graph shows the quantification of IgG-positive staining from figure A. Data are mean ± SD, n = 6–7 per group. ^* p < 0.05, EPC- treated vs. PBS-treated mice. ^# p < 0.01, EPC-treated vs. EPC and PX-478 co-treated and PX-478 alone group. C, E, G. Microphotographs showing the occludin/CD31, ZO-1/CD31 and claudin-5/CD31 immunofluorescence staining in the four aforementioned groups. Arrows indicated the location of reduced occludin, ZO-1 or claudin-5 staining, scale bar = 10 μm. D, F, H. Bar graphs showing the quantification of relative gap formation of occludin, ZO-1 and claudin-5 after 24 h of tMCAO. Data are mean ± SD, n = 6–7 per group. ^* p < 0.05, EPC-treated group vs. PBS-treated, EPC and PX-478 co-treated and PX-478 alone group. Western blot analysis showed the occludin (I) and ZO-1 expression (K) in the four groups. J and L. Bar graphs showed the quantitative data from figure I and K. Data are mean ± SD, n = 4 per group. ^* p < 0.05, EPC-treated vs. PBS-treated, EPC and PX-478 co-treated and PX-478 alone group in figure J. ^* p < 0.05, EPC-treated vs. PBS-treated group. ^# p < 0.01, EPC-treated vs. EPC and PX-478 co-treated and PX-478 alone group in figure L. PX = PX-478 treated mice. EPC endothelial progenitor cell, IgG immunoglobulin, PBS phosphate-buffered saline