Elevated pulmonary arterial pressure in Zucker diabetic fatty rats
Fig 5
ZDF rats show normal PA pulmonary artery endothelial function and eNOS expression but iNOS inhibition unmasks vasoconstrictor hyperresponsiveness in ZDF rats.
(A) Cumulative concentration-response curves to the endothelium-dependent vasodilator acetylcholine in arteries precontracted with phenylephrine. (B) Expression of endothelial NOS (eNOS) analyzed by Western Blot, typical blots (bottom panel) and densitometric values (top panel). (C and D) Cumulative concentration-response curves to phenylephrine (Phef) in the absence or in the presence of the iNOS inhibitor 1400W (10 μmol/L). (E) Expression of inducible NOS (iNOS) analyzed by Western Blot, typical blots (bottom panel) and densitometric values (top panel). Results for vascular reactivity are expressed as means ± SEM of 5 (ZDF) and 4 (ZL) rats in duplicate. * indicates P < 0.05 ZDF versus ZDF+1400W (paired t test). Results for protein expression are expressed as scatter plots and means of 6 animals normalized by the expression of β-actin.