Journal: Stem Cell Research & Therapy

Article Title: Extracorporeal cardiac shock wave stimulation enhances the therapeutic efficacy of intravenously delivered endothelial colony-forming cells via PI3K/AKT signaling in a rat myocardial infarction model

doi: 10.1186/s13287-026-04913-w

Figure Lengend Snippet: ECSW-activated ECFCs mediate cardioprotection by modulating the AKT/eNOS pathway in MI rats. A – E Western blot analysis and quantification of p-AKT, AKT, p-eNOS, eNOS, Bcl-2, and cleaved caspase-3 protein levels in cardiac tissue ( n = 6). F , G Representative IHC images and quantitative analysis of p-eNOS expression ( n = 5; scale bar = 100 μm). H , I Nitric oxide (NO) levels in myocardial tissue and plasma ( n = 6). Data are presented as mean ± SD. Data are presented as mean ± SD. * p < 0.05, ** p < 0.01, *** p < 0.001, **** p < 0.0001, ns = nonsignificant

Article Snippet: After blocking in blocking buffer (Beyotime, Cat. No. P0252) for 2 h, membranes were incubated overnight at 4 °C with primary antibodies against Akt (1:1,000; Cell Signaling Technology [CST], #4691), phospho-Akt (1:1,000; CST, #4060), eNOS (1:1,000; CST, #32027), phospho-eNOS (1:250; Millipore, #07-428-I), Bcl-2 (1:1,000; Affinity, AF6139), Cleaved Caspase-3 (1:1,000; CST, #9664), and GAPDH (1:1,000; CST, #5174).

Techniques: Western Blot, Expressing, Clinical Proteomics

Journal: Stem Cell Research & Therapy

Article Title: Extracorporeal cardiac shock wave stimulation enhances the therapeutic efficacy of intravenously delivered endothelial colony-forming cells via PI3K/AKT signaling in a rat myocardial infarction model

doi: 10.1186/s13287-026-04913-w

Figure Lengend Snippet: PI3K inhibition attenuates the cardioprotective effects of SW-ECFCs via the AKT/eNOS pathway. A – E Western blot analysis and quantification of p-AKT, AKT, p-eNOS, eNOS, Bcl-2, and cleaved caspase-3 in cardiac tissue from rats treated with LY294002-pretreated SW-ECFCs ( n = 6). F , G Representative IHC images and quantitative analysis of p-eNOS expression ( n = 5; scale bar = 100 μm). H , I Myocardial and plasma NO levels ( n = 6). Data are presented as mean ± SD. * p < 0.05, ** p < 0.01, *** p < 0.001, **** p < 0.0001, ns = nonsignificant

Article Snippet: After blocking in blocking buffer (Beyotime, Cat. No. P0252) for 2 h, membranes were incubated overnight at 4 °C with primary antibodies against Akt (1:1,000; Cell Signaling Technology [CST], #4691), phospho-Akt (1:1,000; CST, #4060), eNOS (1:1,000; CST, #32027), phospho-eNOS (1:250; Millipore, #07-428-I), Bcl-2 (1:1,000; Affinity, AF6139), Cleaved Caspase-3 (1:1,000; CST, #9664), and GAPDH (1:1,000; CST, #5174).

Techniques: Inhibition, Western Blot, Expressing, Clinical Proteomics