Figure 3.

Overexpression of Ad-TOP-dn-N-cadherin in Human Saphenous Vein Organ Cultures Significantly Induced VSMC Apoptosis, Suppressed Intimal Thickening, and Enhanced Endothelial Coverage

HSV was infected with Ad-β-gal or Ad-TOP-dn-N-cad and cultured for 7 days. (A) Representative images show apoptotic intimal cells detected by in situ end labeling (brown, arrows indicate some positive cells). Chart shows percentage of apoptotic cells. (B) Representative images show EVG staining, white arrows indicate intima:medial boundary, and black arrows indicate intimal surface. Chart shows neointima thickness. (C) Representative images of EC coverage detected by QBend-10 immunohistochemistry (brown, arrows indicate some of the endothelial cells). * indicates a significant difference from Ad-β-gal control. n = 6 (A), n = 5 (B), and n = 7 (C), p < 0.05, paired Student’s t test. Scale bar, 20 μm; applies to all panels. Error bars represent SEM.