Fig. 6

Notch1 signaling promotes vessel assembly. A, B Hif-1α protein expression levels were increased in N1ICD-MSCs (mesenchymal stem cells), but were decreased in the 2%CSE group. A statistically significant difference in vessel assembly capacity, as evidenced by the number of tubule-like structures, was also found between cultures of N1ICD MSCs and the CSE-treatment group (C, D). MSCs infected with Notch shRNA2 displayed significantly reduced protein levels of Hif-1α, as well as vessel assembly capacity, compared to those in the CSE treatment group, *P < 0.05 vs. control group, ^#P < 0.05 vs. CSE group; CSE, cigarette smoke extract. E–H Treatment with Jagged1 Fc improved the expression of HIF-1α, as well as vessel assembly capacity, whereas Notch1 shRNA2 blocked the promotion of vessel assembly induced by Jagged1, as shown by a significant reversal in the number of tubule-like structures and the protein expression of Hif-1α. *P < 0.05