Figure 4.

Gal3 enhances angiogenic effects and pro-angiogenic marker expression in rat brains following ischemia/reperfusion injury. (a) Representative images of immuno-fluorescence stained CD31-positive vessels in the ischemic cerebral hemisphere of control saline and Gal3-treated rats. White arrow indicates the blood vessels (Aa). Number of vessels was counted in randomly selected regions of interest (ROI). Quantification data are presented in the graph (Ab). Data represent means ± SD in three animal brains (N = 3); **P<0.01 vs. control. (b) Characterization of the size distribution of CD31-positive vessels in the peri-infarct area of post-stroke brains of rats treated with either saline or Galectin 3 (Gal3). The lengths of all vessels in each region of interest (ROI) were measured using ImageJ software (NIH). As compared to the control group, in Gal3-treated post-stroke brains, there was an increased number of blood vessels ranging in length 0–20 µm, 20–40 µm, and 40–60 µm, across the distribution (Ba). The average length of all CD31-positive vessels was increased by about 40% in Gal3-treated post-stroke rat brains as compared to saline-treated control brains (Bb). N = 4 (**P<0.01). (c–d) Representative immunofluorescence stained images of KDR/VEGFR2 (Ca) and VEGF (Da) in the ischemic hemisphere are shown for both saline and Gal3 treated rat brains. A graphical representation of the average fluorescence intensity across all regions of interest for KDR/VEGFR2 (Cb) and VEGF (Db) are presented. N = 3 (**P<0.01).