Fig. 3
The infarct core region displayed substantial angiogenic activity during the recovery period. (A) ~ (E) RNA-seq analysis of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) on day 10. n = 5. (A) PCA revealed distinct clustering of genes in control cortical tissue, the peri-infarct cortex and the infarct core. (B) and (C) Volcano plot showing the DEGs with p values < 0.05 for the G1 and G2 comparisons. G1, control vs. core. G2, peri vs. core. (D) The top 20 enriched GO terms for the upregulated genes revealed that angiogenesis was significantly enriched in the infarct core compared with the control cortex and peri-infarct cortex. (E) Heatmaps showing the gene expression of angiogenesis-associated factors. *p < 0.05, infarct core (core) vs. control cortex. ※p < 0.05, infarct core vs. peri-infarct cortex (peri). (F) ~ (G) Brain sections labeled with gelatin-ink on days 3, 7 and 14. Middle cerebral artery occlusion impaired the microvascular structure in the infarct core on days 3 and 7. The microvessels proliferated in the peri-infarct and infarct cores on day 14. (H) Statistical analysis revealed that the vessel density in the infarct core was significantly increased on day 14 and had increased since day 7. n = 5 ~ 7. *p < 0.05. d3 and d7 vs. control, p < 0.0001. d14 vs. d3 and d7, p < 0.0001. d14 vs. cont, p = 0.004. (I) The infarct core had a greater vessel density than the control cortex on day 14 after ischemia. n = 5 ~ 7. core vs. control, p = 0.028. core vs. peri, p = 0.034