Research Paper Volume 11, Issue 1 pp 89—103

Figure 2. LRP5 mediates age-dependent changes in angiogenic factor receptor expression in mouse lung ECs. (A) Graph showing the mRNA levels of Vegfr2, Tie2, and Lrp5 in ECs isolated from 2M vs. 24M old mouse lungs (n=4, mean±s.e.m., *, p<0.05). (B) Representative immunoblots showing VEGFR2, Tie2, LRP5, and β-actin protein levels in ECs isolated from 2M vs. 24M old mouse lungs. Graph showing VEGFR2, Tie2, and LRP5 protein levels normalized by β-actin protein levels in ECs isolated from 2M vs. 24M old mouse lungs (n=4, mean±s.e.m., *, p<0.05). (C) Graph showing the mRNA levels of Vegfr2, Tie2, and Lrp5 in ECs isolated from 24M old mouse lungs treated with lentivirus overexpressing LRP5 (n=4, mean±s.e.m., *, p<0.05). (D) Representative immunoblots showing VEGFR2, Tie2, LRP5, β-catenin, and β-actin protein levels in ECs isolated from 24M old mouse lungs treated with lentivirus overexpressing LRP5. Graph showing VEGFR2, Tie2, LRP5, and β-catenin protein levels normalized by β-actin protein levels in ECs isolated from 24M old mouse lungs treated with lentivirus overexpressing LRP5 (n=4, mean±s.e.m., *, p<0.05). (E) H&E-stained 24M old WT and Lrp5 KO mouse lungs (top, scale bar, 50 μm). Immunofluorescence micrographs showing CD31-positive blood vessels in the 24M old WT and Lrp5 KO mouse lungs (bottom, scale bar, 20 μm). Graphs showing quantification of alveolar number (left) and alveolar size (MLI, right) in the 24M old WT and Lrp5 KO mouse lungs (n=4, mean ± s.e.m., *, p<0.05).