Figure 1
Changes in number of endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) (CD31+, CD34+, CD133+, C-kit+) and CD26+ cells at different time points. A, E, G, I) Numbers of EPC at 0 and 1 h and days 1, 4 and 14 after induction of critical limb ischemia (CLI). Except for CD34-EPCs, the peak levels of EPCs in Fischer 344 rats appeared on Day 1 (B, F, H, J) after CLI. Notably higher levels of EPCs in wild-type (WT) Fischer rats compared to DPP4-deficient rats at days 1 and 4 following CLI. By Day 14, CD31-EPCs and C-kit-EPCs remained higher in CLI WT rats treated with granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (GCSF) than in DPP4-deficient rats regardless of GCSF treatment. C, D) Persistently lower number of CD26+ cells in DPP4-deficient animals than in WT Fischer rats. * vs. other groups, P < 0.001. All statistical analyses using one-way ANOVA, followed by Tukey's multiple comparison procedure. Symbols (*, †, ‡) indicate significance (at 0.05 level). DPP4D = DPP4-deficient (n = 9 per group).