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Figure 4 Antagonism of VEGF Diminished the Therapeutic Effect of MDSC Transplantation

(A) Representative echocardiographic M-mode images of left ventricle for each group. End-systolic dimension (ESD) and end-diastolic dimension (EDD) were measured in each image. (B) Hearts injected with PBS, MDSC-FLT cells, or MDSC-VEGF50 cells displayed progressive enlargement of the left ventricle, as measured by EDD, over the course of the study (#p < 0.05, 2 vs. 12 weeks), and these left ventricle dimensions were larger than the MDSC-LacZ- and MDSC-VEGF25–injected hearts at all time points (p < 0.05 vs. MDSC-LacZ and MDSC-VEGF25). In contrast, left ventricle dimensions in the MDSC-LacZ– and MDSC-VEGF25–injected hearts were preserved. (C and D) Injection of MDSC-LacZ, MDSC-VEGF25, or MDSC-VEGF50 cells improved left ventricle contractility (% fractional shortening, % fractional area change) compared with the injection of PBS and MDSC-FLT cells (*p < 0.05 vs. PBS; p < 0.05 vs. MDSC-FLT). Systolic function in the PBS, MDSC-FLT, and MDSC-VEGF50 groups decreased by 12 weeks after injection (#p < 0.05, 2 vs. 12 weeks; p < 0.05 MDSC-VEGF50 vs. MDSC-LacZ and MDSC-VEGF25 groups), whereas systolic function in the MDSC-LacZ– and MDSC-VEGF25–injected hearts was preserved. Abbreviations as in Figure 1.