CXCL12 and ischemia: Intraperitoneal injection of the anti-SDF-1 neutralizing mAb abolished the effects of aliskiren (25 mg/kg/day) (Fig 5A and 5B). Compared with aliskiren alone, the combined treatment with aliskiren and anti-SDF-1 mAb significantly reduced the capillary density in the ischemic limb (Fig 5C) and the number of circulating EPC-like cells either before or after hindlimb ischemia surgery (Fig 5D). Also, anti-SDF-1 neutralizing mAb impaired endogenous SDF-1 in plasma and ischemic muscles of diabetic mice (Fig 5E and 5F).