Fig. 3.

Angiogenesis activity of the HGF expression product on the chick CAM.

(A) Control group: only a methylcellulose disk on CAM. (B) TP group: a disk with same volume supernatant from TP-transfected supernatant on CAM. (C) TPH group: a disk with the HGF expression product (300 pg) on CAM, from TPH-transfected supernatant. (D) The number of blood vessels was counted under a light microscope, and was found to be significantly fewer in expression supernatant from the TP-transfected and control groups than in the HGF expression product from the TPH-transfected group (P < 0.05).

HGF = hepatocyte growth factor, CAM = chorioallantoic membrane, TP = attenuated Salmonella typhimurium strain with a eukaryotic expression vector, TPH = attenuated Salmonella typhimurium strain carrying a eukaryotic expression vector encodes the human HGF gene.

^*P < 0.05, TPH group vs. TP and control groups.