Figure 7.

EPCs were transfected with miR-138 mimics and cultured under hypoxia for 24 h. Non-transfected EPCs cultured under normoxia or hypoxia were used as controls. Western blotting was performed to examine the protein expression of (A) VEGF, (B) p-p38 MAPK and p38 MAPK, as well as (C) p-AKT and AKT. GAPDH was used as an internal reference. *P<0.05 vs. Normoxia.**P<0.01 vs. Normoxia; ^#P<0.01 vs. Hypoxia. EPC, endothelial progenitor cells; p-AKT, phosphorylated AKT; VEGF, vascular endothelial growth factor; MAPK, mitogen-activated protein kinase; miR, microRNA.