Cardioprotective c-kit⁺ cells are from the bone marrow and regulate the myocardial balance of angiogenic cytokines
J. Clin. Invest. Shafie Fazel, et al. 116:1865 doi:10.1172/JCI27019 [Go to this article.]

Figure 5
c-kit dysfunction is associated with abnormal EPC mobilization and function. (A–C) c-kit function is required for the mobilization of hematopoietic progenitor cells (HPC), VEGFR2⁺ PBMCs, and EPCs after MI (n =5 per group). **P <0.05 versus Day 0 values; ^#P < 0.05 versus Kit^+/+. (D) RT-PCR reaction for VEGF, angiopoietin-1 (Ang-1), and angiopoietin-2 from bone marrow cells of Kit^+/+ or Kit^W/Kit^W–v mice cultured for 7 days in the absence or presence of recombinant SCF. SCF led to marked-up regulation of VEGF mRNA only in Kit^+/+ mice. Angiopoietin-2 levels were higher in Kit^+/+ mice. (E–G) Quantification of VEGF by ELISA and angiopoietin-2 and angiopoietin-1 levels by immunoblotting and densitometry from cell supernatant described above. SCF caused increased VEGF and higher angiopoietin-2/angiopoietin-1 ratio only in Kit^+/+ mice. The values are from 3 independent experiments quantified in triplicate. **P <0.05 versus no SCF values; ^#P <0.05 versus Kit^+/+.