1. Vascular endothelial growth factor gene therapy with intramuscular injections of plasmid DNA enhances the survival of random pattern flaps in a rat model 
L.W. Yang, J.X. Zhang, L. Zeng, J.J. Xu, F.T. Du, W. Luo, Z.J. Luo, J.H. Jiang 
British Journal of Plastic Surgery 
Volume 58, Issue 3, Pages (April 2005)
DOI: /j.bjps
Copyright © 2005 The British Association of Plastic Surgeons Terms and Conditions

2. Figure 1
Three representative flaps at 7 days postoperatively to illustrate regions of survival and necrosis in experimental groups treated with the pcD2/hVEGF121 gene (A), the vector (B), and the saline (C), respectively.
British Journal of Plastic Surgery  , DOI: ( /j.bjps )
Copyright © 2005 The British Association of Plastic Surgeons Terms and Conditions

3. Figure 2
Comparisons of mean percent flap survival among the three experimental groups at 7 days postoperatively. The tissue survival of the flaps was markedly improved in the VEGF gene-treated group, P<0.01 versus the two controls. Whereas, there was no statistically significant difference between the control plasmid vector group and the saline group, P>0.05 (one-way analysis of variance).
British Journal of Plastic Surgery  , DOI: ( /j.bjps )
Copyright © 2005 The British Association of Plastic Surgeons Terms and Conditions

4. Figure 3
SPECT scintiphotos (the data acquisition lasted 180s) of the flaps of VEGF gene treated rat (A), vector control rat (B), and saline control rat (C) at 7 days postoperatively. The flap (marked by arrow) elevated, turned over 120° to cauta, and laid aside. In contrast to the two controls, the flap of the VEGF gene treated rat displays higher the concentration of 99mTc-RBC radiopharmaceutic.
British Journal of Plastic Surgery  , DOI: ( /j.bjps )
Copyright © 2005 The British Association of Plastic Surgeons Terms and Conditions

5. Figure 4
Expression of mRNA of the flaps in the three experimental groups at 7 days postoperatively. Results shown here were obtained by RT-PCR. Higher levels of VEGF gene expression (550bp) are found in VEGF gene treated group (Lane 1) compared to the vector (Lane 2) and saline (Lane 3) control groups. Similar levels of GAPDH gene expression (309bp) are detected among the VEGF gene (Lane 1′), vector (Lane 2′), and saline (Lane 3′) groups. Lane M is the DNA size standards, pGEM-3Zf(+)DNA/Hae III markers.
British Journal of Plastic Surgery  , DOI: ( /j.bjps )
Copyright © 2005 The British Association of Plastic Surgeons Terms and Conditions

6. Figure 5
Rabbit anti-rat lamina immunohistochemical staining sections of the surviving regions of flaps among the VEGF gene-treated (A), vector control (B), and saline control (C) groups. A marked difference (muscles or vessels marked by arrows) in the extent of vascularisation was noted between the panniculus carnosus and the fascial layers (at ×300 magnification).
British Journal of Plastic Surgery  , DOI: ( /j.bjps )
Copyright © 2005 The British Association of Plastic Surgeons Terms and Conditions

7. Figure 6
Immunohistochemical stain of tissue samples from VEGF gene (A), vector (B), and saline (C) experimental groups (at ×300 magnification). Brown yellow granular staining patter of polyclonal antibody bound to the VEGF protein. The density of staining in panniculus carnosus and endothelial cells (muscles or vessels marked by arrows) exposed to VEGF is greater in the VEGF gene-treated group than in the two controls.
British Journal of Plastic Surgery  , DOI: ( /j.bjps )
Copyright © 2005 The British Association of Plastic Surgeons Terms and Conditions