Effects of Hormone Replacement Treatment with Estrogen and Progestins on the Vascular Renin–Angiotensin System of Ovariectomized Rats

Figures

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  Figure 1. Influence of NOS inhibition on Ang-(1-7) vasodilation and eNOS levels in aortic tissue from ovariectomized Wistar rats subjected to different hormone therapies. (a) Dose–response curves to Ang-(1-7) in aortic rings (10−10–10−5.5 M) and (b) in the presence of L-NitroG-L-Arginine Methyl Ester (L-NAME). Groups: SHAM (N = 11); ovariectomized (OVX, N = 10); ovariectomized with 17β-estradiol treatment (OE2, N = 14); ovariectomized with 17β-estradiol plus drospirenone treatment (OE2 + DRSP, N = 13); ovariectomized with acetate of medroxyprogesterone treatment (OVX + MPA, N = 13). (c) Representative Western blot figures and quantification of the treatment conditions for total eNOS levels normalized to ß-actin levels, used as loading control. Groups: SHAM, N = 5; OVX, N = 5; OE2, N = 5; OE2 + DRSP, N = 5; OVX + MPA, N = 5. Values are expressed as mean ± SEM. * p < 0.05 vs. OVX; # p < 0.05 vs. SHAM; ¶ p < 0.05 vs. OE2; ≈ p < 0.05 vs. OE2 + DRSP; § p < 0.05 vs. OVX + MPA. (a,b) Two-way or (c) one-way ANOVA, followed by (a,b) Tukey’s or (c) LSD post hoc test.

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  Figure 2. Effect of AT2R and Mas blockade on Ang-(1-7) vasodilation and RAS component levels in aortas of ovariectomized Wistar rats subjected to different hormonal treatments. Dose–response curves to Ang-(1-7) in aortic rings (10−10–10−5.5 M) in the presence of (a) PD123319 and (b) A779. Groups: SHAM (N = 8); ovariectomized (OVX, N = 9); ovariectomized with 17β-estradiol treatment (OE2, N = 9); ovariectomized with 17β-estradiol plus drospirenone treatment (OE2 + DRSP, N = 9); ovariectomized with acetate of medroxyprogesterone treatment (OVX + MPA, N = 8). Representative Western blot figures and quantification of the treatment conditions for (c) AT1R, (d) AT2R, (e) ACE2, (f) Mas levels to β-actin levels, used as loading control. Groups: SHAM, N = 5; OVX, N = 5; OE2, N = 5; OE2 + DRSP, N = 5; OVX + MPA, N = 5. Values are expressed as mean ± SEM. * p < 0.05 vs. OVX; # p < 0.05 vs. SHAM. (a,b) Two-way or (c,d,e,f) one-way ANOVA, followed by (a,b) Tukey’s or (c,d,e,f) LSD’s post hoc test.