Figure 6.

VEGFR1 and Akt-Mediated Cytoprotection in Brain Microvascular ECs

(A) Staurosporine (SSP; 1 μM, 60 min) more than doubled caspase 3/7 activity in primary rat brain MVECs when compared to untreated control cells (NT). The staurosporine-induced caspase 3/7 activity was significantly reduced by pretreatment with VEGF-A and PlGF-1 but not VEGF-E (all at 50 ng/ml for 30 min).

(B) The VEGF-A-mediated reduction of staurosporine-induced caspase 3/7 activity was sensitive to 10 μM PI3K inhibitor wortmannin but not the p38 inhibitor SB202190.

Shown are means ± SEM (n ≥ 15). ^∗∗∗p < 0.001; ns, not significant (Student’s t test).