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. 2021 Apr 22;6(8):e143285. doi: 10.1172/jci.insight.143285

Figure 6. VEGFA165 gene therapy enhances pericyte survival, promotes pericyte regeneration, and attenuates vascular damage.

Figure 6

(A and B) Time points of gene delivery and related measurements. (C and D) VEGFA165 mRNA and protein are significantly increased in the AAV1-VEGFA165 gene–treated cochleae compared with the control AAV1-treated cochleae (VEGFA165 mRNA: n = 3 for each group; VEGFA165 protein: n = 6 for each group; and **P < 0.01 by Student’s t test). (E) The pericyte population is higher in the AAV1-VEGFA165 gene–treated group (n = 7) compared with the control AAV1-treated group (n = 4, ****P < 0.0001 by Student’s t test). (F) Increased EdU+ cells in the VEGFA165 gene–treated group (n = 7) compared with the control AAV1 group (n = 4, *P < 0.05, and **P < 0.01 by Student’s t test). (G) Decreased vascular density is attenuated by AAV1-VEGFA165 gene treatment (n = 7) but not by control AAV1 treatment (n = 4, ***P < 0.001 by Student’s t test). (H and I) Confocal images show EdU+ pericytes, endothelial cells, and an unidentified cell type in the stria of control AAV1 (H) and AAV1-VEGFA165 groups (l). (J) Zoomed-in images highlight different types of EdU+ cells in the stria of an AAV1-VEGFA165–treated animal. (K) Blood flow volume in the AAV1-VEGFA165–treated group is significantly greater than in the control AAV1 group (n = 3, ****P < 0.0001 by Student’s t test). (L) Vascular leakage is markedly attenuated in the AAV1-VEGFA165–treated group relative to the control AAV1 group (n = 3 for each group, **P < 0.01 by Student’s t test). (M and N) IVM images from control AAV1 and AAV1-VEGFA165 groups (white arrows, leaking sites). Data are presented as a mean ± SEM. Scale bars: 50 μm (H, I), 10 μm (J), 100 μm (M, N). PC, pericyte; EC, endothelial cell.