Besides its protective effect on cardiomyocytes, adiponectin protein increased cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) expression in cultured ECs, together with EC migration, differentiation and survival, thus promoting revascularization of ischemic muscle in a mouse hind limb model of vascular insufficiency (126) (Figure 3C). This evidence concerns the gene PTGS2 and vascular insufficiency disorder.