Fig. 3

Changes in blood flow ratio after arterial ligation in the left hindlimb of aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR)-null or wild-type (WT) mice exposed to benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P) or vehicle. A Laser Doppler perfusion imaging of blood flow immediately and 4 weeks after surgery and the commencement of weekly administration of B[a]P (125 mg/kg) or vehicle. B The ratio of blood flow in the ischemic (left) hindlimb to that in the normal (right) hindlimb measured immediately and each week after surgery and the commencement of weekly administration of B[a]P or vehicle. All quantitative data are given as the mean ± SEM of values from 8 mice per group. *P < 0.05 vs. corresponding value for vehicle-treated WT mice, ^† P < 0.05 vs. corresponding value for B[a]P-treated WT mice. C Representative immunoblot (IB) analysis of hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α), AHR nuclear translocator (ARNT), and lamin (loading control) in nuclear extracts, and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in ischemic or non-ischemic tissue at 1 week after surgery. D Quantitative data of the DNA binding activity of HIF-1α–ARNT in nuclear extracts of tissue isolated 1 week after surgery. All data are mean ± SEM of values from 6 mice per group. *P < 0.05 vs. non-ischemic hindlimb of WT mice; ^† P < 0.05 vs. non-ischemic hindlimb of AHR-null mice, ^‡ P < 0.05 vs. ischemic hindlimb of wild-type mice