Akt1/protein kinase Bα is critical for ischemic and VEGF-mediated angiogenesis
J. Clin. Invest. Eric Ackah, et al. 115:2119 doi:10.1172/JCI24726 [Go to this article.]

Figure 4
Akt1^–/– mice have impaired VEGF-induced vascular permeability and angiogenesis. (A) Vascular permeability assessed by Evans blue extravasation 30 minutes after subcutaneous injection of VEGF and saline (Basal) in the right and left ears, respectively. Data are expressed as ng Evans blue per mg dry weight of ear; n = 7. (B) Representative PECAM-1 staining of frozen ear sections showing impaired VEGF-induced angiogenesis in Akt1^–/– mice. Ad-VEGF or Ad–β-gal was applied by intradermal injection into the left and right ears, respectively, for 5 days. Frozen sections (7 μm thick) were stained for vessels with anti–PECAM-1 antibody and Alexa 488–conjugated secondary antibody (green). Tissues were counterstained with propidium iodide (red). Magnification, ×100. (C) Quantification of PECAM-1 staining. For each animal, 10 low-power (×100) fields from 5 sections were scored. n = 5. Angiogenic scores were calculated as percentage increases in PECAM-1 staining in Ad-VEGF versus Ad–β-gal–treated ears. *P < 0.05; **P < 0.01.