PAI-1 contributes slightly to radiation-induced intestinal epithelial cell apoptosis in crypts.

<p>High magnification of double TUNEL/E-cadherin staining in crypts in Wt mice 5 hours after 19 Gy. Arrows indicate apoptotic epithelial cells. Nuclei were counterstained with DAPI (blue) (A). Representative double TUNEL/E-cadherin staining in Sham (A–C) and irradiated (B–D) Wt (A–B) and PAI-1 −/− (C–D) mice 5 hours after 19 Gy. (B). Quantitative assessment of TUNEL+/E-cadherin+ cells in crypts in Wt and PAI-1 −/− mice 4, 5 and 24 hours after irradiation (C). Radiation-induced epithelial cell apoptosis in crypts was stimulated in both types of mice. The number of apoptotic epithelial cells was higher in Wt mice than in PAI-1 −/− mice only 5 hours after irradiation. (n = 6 mice/group) # p<0.05 versus sham mice with the same genotype. * p<0.05 between irradiated Wt and PAI-1 −/− mice.