FIG. 14.

PI3K/HIF-1α/VEGF pathway in macrophages exposed to ferryl hemoglobin. (A) Human macrophages were treated with 10 μM oxyHb or ferrylHb for 2 h. The expression of PI3K and phopsho-PI3K protein was assessed by Western blot (n = 3). (B) Human macrophages were treated with 10 μM heme, oxyHb, metHb, or ferrylHb for 16 h. The expression of HIF-1α was assessed by Western blot (n = 5). (C) Human macrophages were treated with 10 μM oxyHb or ferrylHb for 24 h. The secreted VEGF-A was measured by the ELISA-kit. *p < 0.5; **p < 0.01. ELISA, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay; HIF-1α, hypoxia-inducible factor 1-alpha; PI3K, phosphoinositide 3-kinase; VEGF, vascular endothelial growth factor.