The percentages of cell subsets in circulating blood at different time points in infants with and without BPD.

<p>Data are presented as medians with 25–75% quartiles. MNC = mononuclear cells.</p

Maternal, neonatal characteristics and outcomes of the study infants.

<p>BPD = bronchopulmonary dysplasia; CRIB-II = Clinical Risk Index for Babies-II score; PDA = patent ductus arteriosus; NEC = necrotizing enterocolitis; IVH = intraventricular hemorrhage; PVL = cystic periventricular leukomalacia; ROP = retinopathy of prematurity; PS = pulmonary surfactant; MV = mechanical ventilation; nCPAP = nasal continuous positive airway pressure; CNY = Chinese Yuan.</p

EPC level in infants with different severity of BPD at day 7.

<p>(A) CD34⁺KDR⁺ cells. (B) KDR⁺CD133⁺ cells. (C) CD34⁺KDR⁺CD133⁺ cells. The level of EPCs was significantly lower in infants with severe BPD compared to infants with mild BPD. Values in boxplot are expressed as median, 25th, and 75th percentiles. MNC =  mononuclear cells. *<i>P</i><0.05.</p

The levels of plasma cytokines at different time points in infants with and without BPD.

<p>VEGF = vascular endothelial growth factor; SDF-1 =  stromal cell-derived factor-1; GM-CSF = granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor. Data are presented as mean ± SD.</p

Plasma cytokines levels before and after iNO therapy.

<p>(A) eNOS. (B) NO₂^−/NO₃⁻. (C) VEGF. (D) SDF-1. (E) GM-CSF. Pre represents before iNO treatment, and Post represents after iNO treatment. eNOS = endothelial nitric oxide synthase; VEGF = vascular endothelial growth factor; SDF-1 =  stromal cell-derived factor-1; GM-CSF = granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor. *<i>P</i><0.05.</p

Primers used in quantitative PCR.

<p>Primers used in quantitative PCR.</p

Effects of iNO on lung eNOS expression at day 7.

<p>(A) eNOS mRNA expression (normalized to GAPDH) increased in the iNO group compared to the Con group. (B) Representative immunohistochemical images show enhanced eNOS expression in iNO relative to ARDS. (* P<0.05 vs. Con group. n = 5–6 in each group).</p

Vessel density of animals in different groups at day 7.

<p>(A) Representative photomicrographs (×400) illustrating Factor VIII staining to identify blood vessels in the lung. (B) The number of vessels per high-powered field is significantly higher in the iNO group relative to the ARDS group. (* <i>P</i><0.05 vs. ARDS group, n = 5–6 in each group).</p

EPC level in bone marrow from animals of different groups.

<p>Values are means ± SD. MNC, mononuclear cells.</p>*<p><i>P</i><0.05 vs. ARDS;</p>†<p><i>P</i><0.05 vs. Con.</p

Representative cytograms for the determination of CD34⁺, CD133⁺, CD34⁺KDR⁺, KDR⁺CD133⁺ and CD34⁺KDR⁺CD133⁺ cells from animals.

<p>(A) A gate P1 enclosing the mononuclear cells for further selection. P1 selected mononuclear cells are examined for the expression of CD34⁺ cells (B) or CD133⁺ cells(C). (D) CD34⁺ events from P2 are examined further for the expression of VEGFR2 (KDR). (E) CD133⁺ events from P3 are examined for the expression of KDR. (F) CD34⁺ events from P2 are examined for expression of KDR and CD133. The upper right represents events that are CD34⁺KDR⁺CD133⁺.</p