Figure 7.

Knockdown of HIF-1α abolishes MT overexpression, protecting EPCs from HG and hypoxia-impaired HIF-1α/SDF-1/Akt signaling. BM-EPCs from WT and JTMT mice were transfected with the specific siRNA against HIF-1α for 48 h; the Silencer Select Negative Control was used as control siRNA (Ctrl-siRNA). The transfected EPCs were then exposed to HG (25 mmol/L) and hypoxia for an additional 24 h; the equivalent concentration of mannitol was used as osmotic control (Ctrl). The expression of HIF-1α (A and B), SDF-1 (A and C), VEGF (A and D), and phosphorylation of Akt (A and E) was tested by Western blot, with β-actin used as loading control. Three independent experiments were performed. Data are mean ± SD. *P < 0.05 vs. the respective Ctrl-siRNA-Ctrl; #P < 0.05 vs. the respective Ctrl-siRNA-HG; $P < 0.05 vs. WT-Ctrl-siRNA-HG.