Elastase-2, a Tissue Alternative Pathway for Angiotensin II Generation, Plays a Role in Circulatory Sympathovagal Balance in Mice

Figures

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  Figure 1. Basal mean arterial pressure (A) and heart rate (B) from WT (n = 5) and ELA-2KO (n = 6) mice. WT, wild C57Bl mice; ELA-2KO, elastase-2 knockout mice. Values are presented as the mean ± SEM. *p < 0.05 compared with WT.

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  Figure 2. Spectral power density of heart rate, in normalized units (nu), for (A) low-frequency (LF) and (B) high-frequency (HF) bands, and (C) LF/HF from WT (n = 5) and ELA-2KO (n = 6) mice. WT, wild C57Bl mice; ELA-2KO, elastase-2 knockout mice. Values are presented as the mean ± SEM. *p < 0.05 compared to WT.

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  Figure 3. Systolic arterial pressure (A) and spectral power density of systolic arterial (B) pressure, in absolute units (abs), for low-frequency (LF) bands from WT (n = 5) and ELA-2KO (n = 6) mice. WT, wild-type C57Bl mice; ELA-2KO, elastase-2 knockout mice. Values are presented as the mean ± SEM.

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  Figure 4. Symbolic analysis from WT and ELA-2KO mice. (A) 0V: three symbols equal indicate sympathetic modulation; (B) 1V: one variation, two symbols equal and one different, indicate both sympathetic and parasympathetic modulation; (C) 2LV: two like variations indicate parasympathetic modulation; (D) 2UV: two unlike variations indicate parasympathetic modulation. WT, wild C57Bl mice; ELA-2KO, elastase-2 knockout mice. Values are presented as the mean ± SEM. *p < 0.05 compared to WT (n = 5–6).

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  Figure 5. Spontaneous baroreflex sensitivity: (A) gain and (B) baroreflex effectiveness index (BEI) for WT (n = 5) and ELA-2KO (n = 6) mice. WT, wild C57Bl mice; ELA-2KO, elastase-2 knockout mice. Values are presented as the mean ± SEM.

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  Figure 6. Echocardiography from WT (n = 5) and ELA-2 KO (n = 5) mice. Cardiac function assessment: (A) ejection fraction; (B) fractional shortening, (C) LVIDd (end diastolic left ventricular internal diameter); (D) LVIDs (end systolic left ventricular internal diameter); (E) cardiac output; (F) stroke volume. WT, wild C57Bl mice; ELA-2KO, elastase-2 knockout mice. Values are presented as the mean ± SEM. *p < 0.05 compared to WT.

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  Figure 7. Histological analysis of the left ventricle from WT (n = 5) and KO ELA-2 (n = 6) mice. Bar graphs show the following: (A) left ventricular area; (B) right ventricular area; (C) left ventricular wall thickness; (D) right ventricular wall thickness; (E) septum thickness; (F) cardiac index. WT, wild C57Bl mice; ELA-2KO, elastase-2 knockout mice. Values are presented as the mean ± SEM. **p < 0.01 compared to WT.

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  Figure 8. Histological analysis of the left ventricle from WT (n = 5) and KO ELA-2 (n = 6) mice. (A): hematoxylin and eosin staining illustrates the myocyte diameter (scale bar = 50 μm). (B): picrosirius red staining illustrates the collagen density (scale bar = 50 μm). (C): myocyte diameter from the left ventricle. (D): collagen fraction from the left ventricle. WT, wild C57Bl mice; ELA-2KO, elastase-2 knockout mice.