Pressor response to angiotensin II is enhanced in aged mice and associated with inflammation, vasoconstriction and oxidative stress

Figure 1. Effect of aging on the pressor response to a slow-pressor dose of angiotensin II (Ang II) (n=8-9) All data are mean ± S.E.M. *P<0.05 vs young Ang II-infused, one-way repeated measures ANOVA with Tukey’s post-hoc test.

Figure 2. Renal mRNA expression of angiotensin receptors A: type 1a (At1ar) and B: type 2 (At2r) in young and aged mice (n=7-8). Brain mRNA expression of D: At1ar and E: At2r in young and aged mice (n=7-8). Mesenteric artery mRNA expression of G: At1ar and H: At2r in young and aged mice (n=6-7). Effect of aging on At1ar:At2r ratio in C: kidney, F: brain and I: mesenteric artery (n=6-8). All data are mean ± S.E.M. *P<0.05 vs young, Student’s unpaired t-test.

Figure 3. Contractile responses of the mesenteric artery to A: KPSS, B: phenylephrine C: U46619 (U4) and D: angiotensin II (Ang II) in the absence or presence of L-NAME in young and old mice (n=3-6). Contractile responses to Ang II in the absence or presence of tempol, tempol + catalase or indomethacin in E: young mice and F: aged mice (n=3). All data are mean ± S.E.M. *P<0.05 vs young, two-way ANOVA with Tukey’s post-hoc test.

Figure 4. Superoxide levels in A: aorta (n=9-10) and B: mesenteric arteries (n=6) measured in the absence or presence of phorbol-dibutyrate (PdB). Mesenteric artery mRNA expression of NOX2 oxidase subunits C: NOX2 (Gp91phox), D: P47phox and E: P67phox in young and aged mice (n=6-7). All data are mean ± S.E.M. *P<0.05 vs young + PdB, one-way ANOVA with Bonferroni’s post-hoc test.

Figure 5. Renal mRNA expression of inflammasome components A: NLRP3 (Nlpr3), B: Asc, C: caspase-1 (Casp-1), interleukins D: 1β (Il-1b), E: 18 (Il-18) and F: 6 (Il-6) and G: tumor necrosis factor ɑ (Tnf-α) in young and aged mice (n=7-8). Brain mRNA expression of H: Nlpr3, I: Asc, J: Casp-1, K: Il-1b, L: Il-18, M: Il-6 and N: Tnf-α in young and aged mice (n=7-8). All data are mean ± S.E.M. *P<0.05 vs young, Student’s unpaired t-test.