Figure 3. Dietary n-3 PUFAs enhances angiogenesis after MCAO in aged mice.

Mice were injected with BrdU daily over 3-10 days following 45 min MCAO, then processed for immunohistology for BrdU and CD31 at 56 days following MCAO. (A) Representative images of CD31 and BrdU double-labeling within the peri-infart region (striatum) of vehicle and n-3 PUFAs treated brains at 56 days after MCAO. Arrow: BrdU⁺/CD31⁺ cells. Scale bar=50 μm. (B) Representative high power confocal images of BrdU⁺/CD31⁺ co-localization in the striatum at 56 days after MCAO. Scale bar=10 μm. (C) An image stained with MAP2 to designate the infarct area. Analysis of angiogenesis was derived from the regions marked by the blue boxes in the peri-infarct striatum. (D-F) Quantification of post-stroke generated (BrdU⁺/CD31⁺) vessels, vessel (CD31⁺) length, and number of all vessels (CD31⁺ vessels) at 56 days after cerebral ischemia. Data are presented as mean ± SEM, N3L group, n = 5; N3H group, n=6. *p≤0.05 vs. N3L, #p≤0.05, ##p≤0.01 vs. sham. (G, H) Pearson linear regression analysis was performed to correlate the performance of corner test (G) and cylinder test (H) at 21-35 days after MCAO with the number of BrdU⁺/CD31⁺ cells in striatum at 56 days after MCAO.