Angiogenesis in dystrophic diaphragm and biceps brachii muscles.

In (A), diaphragm (DIA) and (B) biceps brachii (BB) cross-sections showing CD31 immunoreactivity (brown color) C57BL/10 mice (Ctrl), saline-treated mdx mice (mdxS), prednisolone-treated mdx mice (mdxP) and Tempol-treated mdx mice (mdxT). The graphs show determination of microvessel density by CD31 positive frequency in the DIA and BB of Ctrl, mdxS, mdxP and mdxT. In (C,D), western blotting analysis of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). The blots of the proteins (top row) and of glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (loading control, bottom row), are shown. The intensities of each band were quantified and normalized to those of the corresponding Ctrl. All values expressed as mean ± standard deviation (SD). *P ≤ 0.05 compared with Ctrl group, **P ≤ 0.001 compared with Ctrl group, ***P ≤ 0.0001 compared with Ctrl group, #P ≤ 0.05 compared with mdxS group, ##P ≤ 0.001 compared with mdxS group, †††P ≤ 0.0001 compared with mdxP group (one-way ANOVA with Tukey’s post-hoc test).