Acute modulation of endothelial Akt/PKB activity alters nitric oxide–dependent vasomotor activity in vivo
J. Clin. Invest. Zhengyu Luo, et al. 106:493 doi:10.1172/JCI9419 [Go to this article.]

Figure 1
Rabbit femoral artery model of adenovirus-mediated gene transfer. (a) Femoral arteries were temporarily isolated by clamping the proximal femoral, popliteal, and saphenous arteries. Solutions of saline alone or saline containing adenoviral constructs that express β-gal, dn-Akt, or myr-Akt were then infused through the saphenous artery. After incubation for 15 minutes, the saphenous artery was permanently ligated and the temporary clamps on the femoral and popliteal arteries were removed. (b) Vessel diameter was assessed angiographically at 3 days after treatment, using an automated edge-detection system. The site of permanent saphenous artery ligation, after adenovirus administration, is shown. (c) Specific and efficient adenovirus-mediated gene transfer to the endothelium. Four rabbit femoral arteries were treated with an adenoviral construct expressing β-gal and harvested after 3 days. β-gal expression detected by X-gal staining from a representative en face view is shown. (d) Cross section of vessel demonstrating that β-gal expression is detected in the endothelium, but not in medial smooth muscle cells. Bar: 50 μm. v., vein; ext., external; a., artery.