Click on image to view larger version.

Figure 2 Effect of hNIS Overexpression on Cell Viability, Proliferation, and Function

(A) There was no difference in viability and proliferation of NIS⁺ versus nontransduced rat cardiac-derived stem cells. (B) Additional transduction with a lentiviral construct expressing firefly luciferase under the transcriptional control of a cardiac-specific promoter (NCX1, cardiac sodium-calcium exchanger) indicated no decrease in the cardiogenic potential of hNIS-expressing cells compared with control cells. (C to E) Angiogenesis and vascular tube formation assays. Representative images of human vascular endothelial cells as positive control cells (C), nontransduced rat cardiac-derived stem cells (D), and rat cardiac-derived stem cells transduced with hNIS (E). The ability to form vascular structures was preserved after transduction with hNIS. Abbreviations as in Figure 1.