Figure 4
EPC treatment induced cardioprotection related proteins expression. Protein expression of platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF: A), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF: B), fetal liver kinase-1 (Flk-1: C), fibroblast growth factor-17 (FGF-17: D), fibroblast growth factor receptor-2 (FGFR-2: E), Tbx-18 (F), and β-Catenin (G) in heart tissue from rats 24 h after myocardial infarction. Rats were treated with endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) or were untreated (controls). Protein expression levels were determined by Western blot using heart tissue harvested from non-infarct areas. Density units were normalized to the GAPDH loading control. *P < 0.05 compared with the EPC group. Data are presented as mean ± standard deviation (n = 6 per group).