Fig. 7

The anti-restenotic effects of liraglutide are preserved in severely hyperglycemic db/db mice. db/db mice with severe hyperglycemia (random plasma glucose levels > 300 mg/dL) were treated with vehicle or liraglutide (17 nmol/kg/day), and subject to femoral artery wire injury. Changes in morphometry and cell proliferation were evaluated 26 days after injury; a vascular expression of glucagon like peptide-1 receptor (Glp-1r) in wild-type and db/db mice at the time of treatment initiation. Gene expression was assessed by real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) at the time of treatment initiation; b representative images of cross-sections of femoral arteries (EVG, 200 ×); c neointimal area; d medial area; e arterial perimeter; f intima to media (I/M) ratio; g representative images of injured arteries with Ki-67 immunostaining (200 ×); h, i percentage of Ki-67-positive cells to total cells in the neointimal and medial regions; j, k cell density in the neointima and media. The averages of three serial cross-sections were used as single data points. Arrows indicate the neointima, and arrowheads indicate Ki-67-positive cells, n = 6 per group; *p < 0.05; **p < 0.01