Research Paper Volume 12, Issue 16 pp 16111—16125

Figure 6. The protective effects of testosterone on vascular aging were attributed to inhibition of MMPs expression and activity through promotion of Akt/FoxO1a phosphorylation. (A) Immunohistochemical staining for MMP-2 and MMP-9 (brown staining considered positive staining; scale bar: 20μm). (B) Representative Western blot of MMP-2, MMP-9, TIMP-1, TIMP-2 and MT1-MMP. (C–E) Western blot analyses of MMP-2, MMP-9, TIMP-1, TIMP-2, MT1-MMP, MT1-MMP/TIMP-2 and MMP-9/TIMP-1. (F) Representative Gelatin Zymography of MMP-2 and MMP-9 activity. (G) Gelatin Zymogrphy analyses of MMP-2 and MMP-9 activity. (H) Representative Western blot of p-Akt, t-Akt, p-FoxO1a and t-FoxO1a. (I) Western blot analyses of p-Akt, t-Akt, p-FoxO1a and t-FoxO1a. Data are mean ± SD; ^*P < 0.05 and ^**P < 0.01 vs. WT young group; ^†P < 0.05 and ^††P < 0.01 vs. WT old group; ^&P < 0.05, ^&&P < 0.01 and ^&&&P < 0.001 vs. Axl^-/- young group; ^#P<0.05 vs. Axl^-/- old group; A: n = 5 for each group, B-H: n = 3 for each group.