Figure 2. 15-lipoxygenase (15-LO) protects against ischaemic brain infarction, improves neurological function and increases the proliferation of brain vascular endothelial cells in post-stroke mice.

(a) Experimental design of the present study. Ischaemic stroke was induced by MCAO, behavioural tests and other experiments were performed at the indicated intervals. (b) Representative TTC-stained brain sections from sham-operated control mice and different post-stroke time point mice. (c) Quantification of the infarct volume shown in B (n = 10, *p < 0.05, **p < 0.01, ^#p < 0.05). Values are represented as the mean ± S.E.M. (d) Adhesive-tape removal test performed at different times after reperfusion in WT mice and 12/15-LO^−/− mice. (e) Rotarod test performed at different times after reperfusion in WT mice and 12/15-LO^−/− mice. (n = 10, *p < 0.05, **p < 0.01, ***p < 0.001, ^#p < 0.05). Values are represented as the mean ± S.E.M. (f) (g) Blood vessels in the MCAO adductor brain tissues from WT and 12/15-LO^−/− mice were analysed by double immunofluorescence staining for anti-Ki67 (green)/anti-PCNA (green), anti-CD31 (red) and DAPI to stain nuclei (blue). Merged images show Ki67/PCNA co-localizes to brain vascular endothelial cells. Co-localization was most apparent 21 days after stroke, and 12/15-LOKO blocked these effects. Scale bars are 50 μm. Images shown are representative of at least three independent experiments.