Influence of adenosine kinase (AK) inhibitor ITU on hypoxia elicited vascular leak in vivo. (A) C57BL/6 mice were injected with 5′-iodotubericidin (ITU, 1 mg/kg administered intravenously, ) or vehicle control (DMSO, ■). Vascular leak was assessed by intravenous Evan blue. After exposure to normobaric hypoxia (8% oxygen) or room temperature air for 4 hours, animals were killed and Evan blue concentrations were determined in colon (Co), lung (Lg), liver (Lv), muscle (Mu), heart (Ht), kidney (Kd), and brain (Br). Data are expressed as mean plus or minus SD Evan blue OD/50 mg wet tissue and are pooled from 4 to 6 animals per condition (*P < .05, difference between normoxia and hypoxia; #P < .001, difference between ITU or vehicle). (B) Images of abdominal dissections taken at necropsy. Note the attenuated Evan blue leakage in hypoxic mice treated with ITU. The pictures were taken using a Canon digital IXUS 850 IS camera. (C) Measurement of lung water content in mice subjected to normoxia or hypoxia, following ITU treatment () or vehicle control (DMSO, ■). Data are expressed as mean plus or minus SD mgH₂O/mg dry tissue and are pooled from 6 animals per condition (*P < .001 between normoxia and hypoxia, #P < .001 between treatment with ITU or control).