Figure 5.
Expression of VEGF protein in nondiabetic and diabetic (12 weeks after streptozotocin treatment) rats. Western blot analysis of VEGF-1 protein expression in hindlimb muscles (a) and sciatic nerves (b) harvested 2 weeks after sham (saline) or gene injections. The level of VEGF protein expression was significantly reduced in diabetic versus nondiabetic rats. VEGF-1 gene transfer led to restoration of VEGF-1 protein expression both in muscles and in nerves of diabetic rats. Lane 1: nondiabetic saline-injected. Lane 2: diabetic saline-injected. Lane 3: diabetic, VEGF-1 gene transfer. Lane 4: nondiabetic, VEGF-1 gene transfer. VEGF-1 is detected as a 44-kDa protein. Western blots were reprobed with an anti–α-tubulin antibody to confirm equal protein loading of lanes. Similar results were obtained in three additional experiments.