Figure 3

Molecular changes in serum and PB-EPCs after normobaric hypoxia. Normal subjects were examined before (T0) and 1 h (T1) after experimental hypoxia. Serum samples were used for HGF (A), Epo (C) and Et-1 (D) evaluation. HGF data are reported as relative fold-increases, calculated using the absolute values (T0 = 2.9 ± 0.3 ng/ml). All the data were analysed by ANOVA, and the values reported are the means ± S.E. of experiments performed in triplicate. A p value < 0.05 was considered significant. (B) PB-EPCs, prepared on slides, were used to examine HIF-1α and CXCR4 expression by immunofluorescence. Specific stains with anti-HIF-1α or anti-CXCR4 antibody followed by the appropriate secondary antibody (green, a); nuclear staining with DAPI (blu, b); merged image (c). Images were taken using fluorescence microscopy at 400 × magnification.